Refrigerating S. Limbata ooth temp?

[cloud jaguar]

If we get an extra S. Limbata ooth we want to try to refrigerate it until spring. What month should we start incubating for Southern California springtime release? I read that it should be in paper bag at 40-50 degrees farenheit - is that correct? I assume that we need not worry about humidity since fridge is humid?

Can someone who has experience with this give us some pointers about it. Is there a lower survival rate for refrigerated ooths? Thanks for your help since we do not want to kill the babies.

~Arkanis

 

[sidewinder]

Arkanis,

The problem with a refrigerator is that they are usually set a few degrees above freezing (mine is at 36 degrees) and the humidity is quite low. I suspect that is less than ideal. I will be interested to hear what people suggest.

Maybe storing the ooth outside surrounded by a fine mesh would be a better idea.

S-

 

[Rick]

Here we go again. If you want it to hatch outside in the spring naturally how about putting it outside? Seems a simple concept to me. Fridges are not humid by the way. Just attach it to a bush or something outside, no paper bags, no mesh, nothing. It will be fine.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Fridges take the moisture out of the air, so you have to spray ooths kept in there.

 

[cloud jaguar]

Thanks folks. Whereas my other post re Diapausing ooth was supposed to be a theoretical question for nymphs intended only for release (in which case putting ooth in garden directly makes most sense). This question is more practicall and intended to figure out how best to suspend the nymphs development until spring for captive mantids for gift/sale/trade/release.

So this is what i know:

- store in fridge 40-50 degrees farenheit

- store in paper bag

- keep humid by spraying with water (what is ideal level?)

There is I assume a pretty large risk with doing this. I am interested to learn if others do this or avoid it - also any tricks for doing it more effectively.

Thanks

~Arkanis

 

[Rick]

Thanks folks. Whereas my other post re Diapausing ooth was supposed to be a theoretical question for nymphs intended only for release (in which case putting ooth in garden directly makes most sense). This question is more practicall and intended to figure out how best to suspend the nymphs development until spring for captive mantids for gift/sale/trade/release.So this is what i know:

- store in fridge 40-50 degrees farenheit

- store in paper bag

- keep humid by spraying with water (what is ideal level?)

There is I assume a pretty large risk with doing this. I am interested to learn if others do this or avoid it - also any tricks for doing it more effectively.

Thanks

~Arkanis

If you want it to hatch outdoors for release put it out there now and it will hatch naturally. I have tried the fridge method and nothing ever hatched.

 

[rayg]

Arkanis,

I'm searching for an answer to this question as well. I live in an area where putting an ooth outside for the winter would be a death sentence, and I don't really want to deal hundreds of mantids for Christmas. There must be a way to successfully do it. Perhaps in a plastic tub with a hygrometer to monitor humidity and pull it out of the fridge every couple days for a few hours to mimic more natural temperature fluctuations. I am sure that understanding the specific native range and life cycle would probably be the best guide as to what conditions (temp and humidity) you need to try to mimic. I'm going to experiment with it this winter.

Ray

 

[Katnapper]

I'm interested in this also. I live in Illinois, and currently my plan of attack is keeping them in my unheated garage, misting them about once a week. I just need to figure out 1) a proper enclosure (same as I intend to hatch them in?), and 2) keep them all together or separate them into individual containers? I'm looking for some of those net box with zipper cages, I think, but haven't found any locally.

 

[kakistos]

There must be an other place you can keep the ootheca cold besides the fridge. How about a cellar or shed or garage?

But if you insist on the refrigderator, why not try it? Then you know for sure. Chances are slim that anything will hatch, I think.