Ootheca on ootheca...help please!

[Guy'n'Jane]

Ok, we are to blame for this problem...but despite being silly we really need some advice please!

The photo's say it all but in a nut shell, our mantid has just laid her second ootheca on top of the first (5 weeks older) and we are concerned...what should we do?

Advice will be gratefully received, thanks

 

[tier]

Hi

You don't have to do nothing. The nymphs of both of the ooth can hatch out fine.

regards

 

[PhilinYuma]

This problem comes up now and then, but it's hard to search for because of the "four letter rule". You can usually pry one off the other, gently, with nothing more than your fingers, but as Tier, says, they will hatch fine as they are. You have another problem, though. The newly hatched nymphs and the mels that you feed them will be able to pass through the slots in your critter keeper. You can glue mesh cloth over the outside of the keeper, but that is not the best idea, because nymphs and flies will find the smallest space between the plastic and trap themselves. For that reason, in this case, I would remove both ooths and glue each to the lid of a 32 oz pot.

 

[Rick]

That is not a problem right there. Only a little bit is overlapping. The real problems come when it is directly on top of the other. If they have been allowed to dry at least for a couple weeks you can gently remove them from the cage and each other.

 

[kamakiri]

Agreed with all of the above. To problem where they are except for that style of enclosure keeping the food or the hatchling nymphs inside. If you wait a couple of weeks the ooths can be removed easily and transferred or glued to another container.

I have lots of ooths that were laid end to end like that and they hatch out fine. I've had ooths that were laid on top of each other and they separated and hatched just fine too.