Oxyothespis dumonti- North African Grass Mantis

[meaganelise9]

So it sounds like a good number of people have these ooths now? Who's got 'em? Whose has already hatched? Let's share info on their progress. If you google, you can find Yen's log on them from 2007 which is helpful. I had a small hatch (11). They are highly cannibalistic, so if you don't have tons of food right away, it's good to separate. Careful, they jump! They jump like little grasshoppers, and they're super small when they hatch, like mosquitos, so it's hard to keep track of them and not lose any. I have 10 left, so far, so not bad.

 

[Fichte]

If they are as tiny as Brunneria nymphs it could be good to offer spring-tails... many grass-mantis are pretty nervous :stuart:

good luck with them

 

[CoolMantid]

Brunneria nymphs (if I am correct) are fairly large (for a newly born mantis) when the emerge from the ootheca. I think you meant Thesprotia graminis nymphs.

 

[Fichte]

Ooops... i mean Hoplocorypha and write Brunneria (dont know why)

Sorry

 

[Precarious]

No action with my ooths yet. I may have duds.

 

[meaganelise9]

If they are as tiny as Brunneria nymphs it could be good to offer spring-tails... many grass-mantis are pretty nervous :stuart:

good luck with them

Yes, they are very tiny hatchlings. Luckily I had springtails on hand when they hatched.

 

[meaganelise9]

No action with my ooths yet. I may have duds.

How long has it been? I think the incubation period is typically only about 4 weeks. Hope you don't have duds!

 

[meaganelise9]

Update: I started with 11. I think one got eaten. Today I seem to be down one, but this time I know for certain it wasn't cannibalized because it was housed alone. It vanished! I wonder if it squeezed through a tiny hole and escaped.. Time for smaller mesh/grid! :/

 

[Precarious]

How long has it been? I think the incubation period is typically only about 4 weeks. Hope you don't have duds!

They arrived on December 14th. So maybe one more week.

 

[meaganelise9]

Gauging interest: If I were to unload about half of these, who would be interested? I'd wait until they're a bit bigger, probably right after a molt, but everyone is doing well and eating well.

 

[bobericc]

Ohhhhhh meme

 

[Precarious]

My first ooth hatched yesterday...

More photos here:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=23783

 

[meaganelise9]

awesome awesome photos. How many were in your first one? Someone else said he got 20 out of his. I only had 12.

 

[meaganelise9]

Ohhhhhh meme

Cool, I'll let you know when they're bigger. I had one molt yesterday. Sexing will be difficult. I'm getting a jewelers loupe finally, because.. yeah.

 

[Precarious]

awesome awesome photos. How many were in your first one? Someone else said he got 20 out of his. I only had 12.

Thanks! I found 2 more stragglers this morning taking the total to 10 from the first ooth.

I see another eating a mel too. That's a good sign.

 

[Precarious]

I should also add:

Anyone who has these should be sure to have excelsior in the container. They can't climb smooth surfaces very well and the excelsior is a good substitute for grass. They spend most of their time on it rather than the lid.

 

[CoolMantid]

Do Acanthops need springtails for starter food?

 

[meaganelise9]

Do Acanthops need springtails for starter food?

I don't know. This isn't a thread about Acanthops.

I should also add:

Anyone who has these should be sure to have excelsior in the container. They can't climb smooth surfaces very well and the excelsior is a good substitute for grass. They spend most of their time on it rather than the lid.

Agreed. They slip and scramble on smooth plastic. They blend in with the excelsior well too.

A couple of mine have molted to L3 now.

 

[Precarious]

A couple of mine have molted to L3 now.

Nice! Mine are still L1, I think. Maybe L2. They are a little more visible but I haven't seen a molt or found any skins.