Questions about hatching my Mantis Religiosa ooth's

[Butterfly]

So, I have 3 ooths from my European Mantis, and am expecting another 1 or 2 possibly. But from what Ive been reading here it seems they need a period of cold before they will hatch? Is this true for even areas of southern california since I found mine in the "wild" (not like LA has any true wild areas left) Should I put them all in the fridge for a while, and if so how long?

When they come out should I start separating them immediately so they dont all eat eachother or will they even eat the first few days. I know I need to have a few cultures of fruit flies but will I need them the day they hatch or do I wait a couple days to feed the nymphs?

If they dont need a period of cold then I better get a culture now as it has almost been a full 8 weeks since the first ooth was laid. So any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys and girls.

 

[robo mantis]

Ok they do need a cold period. If you want to hatch and realease keep them refriderated until spring. But since you are in california i think they will do fine out doors unless it gets cold there. But if it is warm year round you should put it in the refriderator for a month. When they hatch wait a day or 2 then drop a lot of fruit flies in. They will eat them and don't worry if they eat each other. Then in about a week they should do their first shed. The ones that survived should be moved to another clean container and mist them dailyand put flies in every other day. Then as they get old you may want to separate them. But for realease you wait a day for their skin to harden. Then go around your house put a few in bushes. Don't let too many go in the same area because they will kill each other. Walk around your area put a few on trees etc.

 

[Butterfly]

Thanks robo, Ill stick them in the fridge tonight.

I only plan on releasing about half of them.

I have 3 local school's, a friend's daughter, and about 10 - 11 other friends wanting some as pets. Im sure by the time they hatch ill put a few up on here too in case anyone wants some. So, Ill raise em for a bit to make sure theyre healthy and what not and then Ill start handing them out.

 

[robo mantis]

no problem and good luck

 

[Jay]

I have posted this before and I will post it again because of my failure with hatching this species in the past. When you choose to incubate this species after keeping the ootheca in the cold I would recommend keeping them at room temperature (below 80 degrees). All of the ootheca I kept at 80 degrees and above did not hatch. I have also had a couple wild caught of this species that did not survive above 75 degrees. It is a strange thing that this species can survive in areas where the temperature gets well over 100 degrees Farenheit. This species must moderate temperature by changing location as I have often found them seeking refuge in the shade on hot summer days in Colorado.

-Jay

 

[Jesse]

Your best bet is to keep the oothecae outdoors (protected from vermin), so that they will hatch at the same time as the local wild ones. These are highly adaptable mantids that is for sure. Southern California does not have much of a "cold" period, so hatching MAY be related to daylight length as well.

 

[Rick]

If they are found in your area just leave em outdoors. If you keep them indoors they will hatch long before they would outside and that would make releasing them impossible.

 

[Butterfly]

I thought about that too. That if I kept them indoors they may hatch sooner and then I wouldnt want to release them because of the colder temperatures outside. So for now theyre in a critter cage out on the patio. Its been cold out at night and I dont want to freeze them in the refrigertator, with its milk freezing history Id hate to kill off the babies.

So if theyre kept outside they should hatch come January or later Im assuming?

 

[Jesse]

European mantid ooths can tolerate freezing temperatures outdoors because of the gradual temperature change, but yes, sticking them directly into the freezer, or into freezing temperatures may kill the eggs. I believe the ooths, under natural conditions in SoCal, will hatch march-April when the amount of daylight begins to increase.