oothes in the garden

[PeterF]

I have never bought an ooth to put outside. I see that they claim to come with directions.

The pictures make it look like it's just an ooth with an inch or less of stick on each end.

How are they put out so that the hatching angle is correct? Or are people just placing them on the ground in their lawn?

I have been thinking about it this afternoon, and clearly I am missing something, but I just want to know what step I am missing. How does it get right side down?

 

[hibiscusmile]

You know the mom makes it so gravity takes over, but just between you & me, I put an ooth in a zip lock bag last week, and oldhimers has taken control of my brain...... It hatched today, (could of swore it had already) :mellow: and it hatched over a hundred nymphs and not a one was hurt, the ooth was against the bag pressed against it, I might add and all stinkin babies were running all over the place. So if u get one on a stick ( not a jalapeño, on a stick) or ( even foam on a stick) :tt2: but an ooth, just glue the stick to the lid and u will be fine, remember this is just between you and I, as I don't want everyone to know I have lost my mind.

 

[Rick]

There is an area on the ooth opposite of the stick. It runs down the front of the ooth. This area is often slightly raised. This is where the nymphs emerge. Hang it in a plant with that part facing down or slightly down. Once you look at the ooth it should be pretty obvious.

 

[PeterF]

Oh ya, I understand all that stuff.

I was trying to figure out what the directions (from a garden center) said to people who, on a lark, decided to buy a mantis ooth and got this 3 inch stick and blob of Styrofoam insulation.

Do they come with twist ties? Are they told to attach them to tree branches? Or are they just attaching them to anything, like goldenrod or mullen that might not make it through the winter upright?

I've seen enough bad technical writing in my life. And I was thinking how I would, myself, explain doing it to say a family member.

Or do the ooth directions say to hatch it inside and release the nymphs? I would have to say that would be my preference so as to split the nymphs up around the property.

 

[lancaster1313]

I think that it depends on the company selling the oothecae. I bought some from my local Sears garden gate. The release instructions only said to attach the ooth on a plant a foot or two off the ground, where there is cover to protect the babies. The company is called Tip Top Bio-Control. Their website address is: TipTopBio.com. There were some typos on the website when I visited it. They called the species Tenodera artificial sinensis. :lol: