P Paradoxa Laying 2 ooths in 1 day

[rickyc666]

I moved my female P Paradoxa into a seperate tank last nigh after having mated her several times, i came home today to find she had laid one ooth which had already darkened/hardened, and she was in the process of laying a second one, both ooths were full size, and im 100% certain there wasnt already an ooth on the branch already as it was fresh from the garden, and i always inspect before putting it in.

Is this normal? ive never had a mantis lay ooths withing several weeks of eachother, let a lone 2 in under a day...ever.

 

[Rick]

I have a miomantis that laid one then laid another the next day.

 

[Ian]

Wow, I have never heard of that with a Ghost mantis, as laying is usually spread out.

However, doesn't suprise me with the Mio, as a VERY well fed female can pop an ooth every few days.

 

[yen_saw]

It is not uncommon for a gravid female to lay two oothecae on the same day, i have seen species like orchid, ghost, egyptian, dead leaf, devil flower, and budwing mantis did this before. There could be few reasons, sometimes a mantis slip while laying the first ooth, or when it was disturbed by misting or motion, or just her preferance to lay on two different spots. and who knows what other factors (only the mantis know why :wink.

Most of the time, there is a size difference between the two oothecae laid on the same day. Ghost mantis can lay an ootheca as long as 3 inches! so two 1.5 inch ootheca is not impossible.

Here are pics of my ghost mantis laying two oothecae the same day (the first ooth - in darker color- overlapped by the fresher one - brighter color - ootheca.