Post/mid ooth lay... what's up with her?

[ladire]

So, one of my Chinese females laid her first ooth today (not fertile).... her abdomen had been soooo fat lately, I figured it was about to happen. This is my first time witnessing an ooth laying!

Well, I first noticed her laying it about 5 or 6 hours ago. But now, she is still upside-down, and still "attached" so-to-speak to the ooth, and she is sitting completely still. I mean she literally has not moved an inch! I was worried she was dead or something, but I can see her antennae move every once in awhile.

This can't be normal, right? How long does it normally take to finish laying? I feel like the ooth is going to stick to her abdomen when it dries since she hasn't moved away from it. What gives?

 

[LauraMG]

It takes a lot out of them. (no pun intended) My Chinese female wouldn't move for hours after she would lay, She's probably okay

 

[PhilinYuma]

Do you have any children, Wren? Didn't you want to lie still for a while after giving birth?

 

[ladire]

Do you have any children, Wren? Didn't you want to lie still for a while after giving birth?

lol!!!! no, I actually do not have any children, but i see what you're saying. She actually finished, moved away from the ooth, and seems to be resting comfortably now. Is she going to be hungry soon? Should I try to feed her?

Also, is she going to be protective of the ooth? Should I be cautious when trying to remove it? (lol, that sounds so funny... like stealing something from an insect could be potentially hazardous, ha!)

Thanks guys for the input.

 

[MrPitseleh]

lol!!!! no, I actually do not have any children, but i see what you're saying. She actually finished, moved away from the ooth, and seems to be resting comfortably now. Is she going to be hungry soon? Should I try to feed her?

Also, is she going to be protective of the ooth? Should I be cautious when trying to remove it? (lol, that sounds so funny... like stealing something from an insect could be potentially hazardous, ha!)

Thanks guys for the input.

I could picture her being both protective and not. I'm curious as to whether any other bugs Ever really messes with an ootheca, maybe ants or something. And honey isn't handed away by bees.

 

[Rick]

If the ooth is finished and she is just sitting there that is totally normal. She will move away soon. She isn't protecting it or anything, but instead is taking a break. Don't try to remove it from the surface for several days because it needs to dry.

 

[hibiscusmile]

My crickets will eat the ooth if left there, also those little worms that comes with the crickets, well I was throwing them in cages until I pulled one out of an ooth:angry: . and you question about it being dangerous is not off the mark, If you frighten her, she may grab at you!

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah, and not just the crickets - I had a Violin ooth minding it's own business, and my flies (Blue Bottles) started eating out the larvae! Seemed really strange, and not at all what I expected. They left only 2 little guys intact, who came out last week. Very strange, and I haven't seen it since.

I also had a 2 month span where all my crickets started chewing holes in the foam stoppers to hide! And again - it was just for a short time - never happened again. Like they taught each other, or something (and no, I didn't dip them in honey first). Anyone else witness this kind of behavior, or is it just the California crazies..?

 

[PeterF]

I had grasshoppers chew on an ooth over the past 2 days. Not amused with that.

I was using hoppers to keep crickets out of the cages where mommas have ooths drying. Granted, that's only like 1 out of 10 where the hoppers didn't work out. But still.

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah, I've seen crickets gnawing at ooths as they were still coming out. I've also seen them eating a mantis that was shedding. I'd kind of like to be done with crickets, if possible. Although my Dead Leaf's seem to love em!

 

[JoeCapricorn]

I always keep crickets separate from the mantises so I never have to worry about them hurting the mantises. Come feeding time, I feed each mantis individually.

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah, I used to do that too, when I had a few large mantids. I really like feeding them. But now, with colonies, it's just not a realistic option. Also, nearly all my species prefer flying prey, so I cater (pun intended) to their needs...