Mantid Egg Case in Ocotber?

[Acro]

It's the last day in October (Happy Halloween!) and I found a few ebay sellers selling "fresh" Chinese Mantid Ooths. The sellers are located in Maryland, and I was wondering . . . can those wild collected ooths be fertile at this time of year from Maryland?

 

[Ranitomeya]

Wild oothecae overwinter even in freezing temperatures to hatch when the weather warms sufficiently in late spring. You can find viable oothecae pretty much from when the adults start maturing to after the first nymphs of the year hatch.

 

[MantidBro]

Yeah, oothecae are usually laid before Winter, then hatch in Spring. The eggs inside are dormant during the Winter. A couple years ago I collected a bunch of oothecae during the Winter, it's easiest to spot them then! They are always fertile it seems!

 

[Rick]

Yes. I was out in mid September and found dozens. They are laid even earlier up there.

 

[MantisMan84]

Mantidbro is right. Wild caught chinese oothecae always seem fertile. Ive collected over 30 and all have hatched. Trick is to understand whether they already hatched. Search in the dead of winter aft er all the leaves are gone.

 

[Acro]

Thanks for the responses!

If I were to purchase them, would they hatch now, or would I have to wait for winter to pass?

 

[MantidBro]

Thanks for the responses!

If I were to purchase them, would they hatch now, or would I have to wait for winter to pass?

You're welcome!

They would hatch in about 1 - 2 months. They hatch quicker if they're kept warm.

 

[KevinsWither]

Definitely fertile. But I would be careful if you are buying any carolina ooths. They may be the japanese giant mantis eggs as they look really similar to the carolina eggs. I bought a supposed carolina egg and did not know it was a japanese giant mantis egg until I raised one of them to adulthood.

 

[MantidBro]

Definitely fertile. But I would be careful if you are buying any carolina ooths. They may be the japanese giant mantis eggs as they look really similar to the carolina eggs. I bought a supposed carolina egg and did not know it was a japanese giant mantis egg until I raised one of them to adulthood.

I bought what was labeled a Stagmomantis carolina ootheca and it ended up being a Tenodera angustipennis ootheca. Those oothecae are also similar in appearance. All species are pretty cool though.lol

 

[Acro]

I'd be cool with Japanese Giant or T. angustipennis.

As for the Chinese Ooths on ebay, if I get a few, can I hatch one while keeping the others in the fridge? If so, what is that process? How long can ooths be kept in the fridge?

 

[MantidBro]

I'd be cool with Japanese Giant or T. angustipennis.

As for the Chinese Ooths on ebay, if I get a few, can I hatch one while keeping the others in the fridge? If so, what is that process? How long can ooths be kept in the fridge?

Ive put ooths in the fridge before but once i tried hatching them they never hatched. I cut the ooth open and the eggs were dried up. I think because there is no moisture in the fridge. Plus not much oxygen. Id tie mine to a window screen over winter lol.

 

[Rick]

Definitely fertile. But I would be careful if you are buying any carolina ooths. They may be the japanese giant mantis eggs as they look really similar to the carolina eggs. I bought a supposed carolina egg and did not know it was a japanese giant mantis egg until I raised one of them to adulthood.

What exactly is a "Japanese giant mantis"?

I assume you mean T. angustipennis. While they look superficially similar they are quite different in shape and size.