Religiosa not laying oothecae?

[H_Ercule_S]

She has been pregnant for 3 weeks and change and had a bigger belly for at least 2, yet she has not laid any oothecae. If they live for less than a year or around there I assumed she's be on at least baking the second one by now, is something wrong? I keep her terrarium at 70 degrees and mist the peat moss twice a week, and have found that if I don't regulate her food she can eat 3 crickets every day, so I only give her 1 per day. Am I feeding her too much or possibly keeping too high humidity? Or is she being... stubborn...

 

[MantidBro]

She has been pregnant for 3 weeks and change and had a bigger belly for at least 2, yet she has not laid any oothecae. If they live for less than a year or around there I assumed she's be on at least baking the second one by now, is something wrong? I keep her terrarium at 70 degrees and mist the peat moss twice a week, and have found that if I don't regulate her food she can eat 3 crickets every day, so I only give her 1 per day. Am I feeding her too much or possibly keeping too high humidity? Or is she being... stubborn...

I dont think youre doing anything wrong, she just is not ready is all. Just keep feeding her, she will lay it eventually!

 

[H_Ercule_S]

She did! All September's been hectic sorry for not posting. It happened about a week ago . She's guarding it from what I can see, she no longer clings to only leaves and sticks instead she stradles it on the lid where she layed it on the mesh

 

[CosbyArt]

She did! All September's been hectic sorry for not posting. It happened about a week ago . She's guarding it from what I can see, she no longer clings to only leaves and sticks instead she stradles it on the lid where she layed it on the mesh

Nice! Glad to hear she laid her ooth. I find it strange that captive mantids will guard their ooths, but wild ones lay ooths and take right off.

My Carolina females have been guarding their ooths pretty fierce too. I finally removed the ooths to start diapause Saturday, and one of the girls wouldn't quit slapping at my dowel rod and threat displaying. I used the dowel rod to move her to another habitat while I removed the ooth. She was still putting on a show for 20 minutes after it was all over and she was back in her habitat. Hopefully your girl isn't so protective when you decide to collect the ooth.

 

[H_Ercule_S]

I've been hand feeding her most of the time ever since I saw a previous female fall and break a foot while pregnant when she lunged at a cricket. She doesnt fuss at all now that she knows there's a cricket waiting when a giant hand tries to attack... I've been assuming she should be removed within hours or even before the ooth hatches, is this true or will she not eat her own young?

 

[CosbyArt]

I've been hand feeding her most of the time ever since I saw a previous female fall and break a foot while pregnant when she lunged at a cricket. She doesnt fuss at all now that she knows there's a cricket waiting when a giant hand tries to attack... I've been assuming she should be removed within hours or even before the ooth hatches, is this true or will she not eat her own young?

Sorry to hear she was hurt. A nice outcome though of her being more tamed now.

Typically any non-tropical species ootheca require diapause, or at least longer times to hatch. Without diapause mine tend to take around 86-124 days, at least for Stagmomantis carolina ooths I've hatched without it. Versus diapaused ooths, from the same mother, that took 40-70 days (depending on diapause length).

In other words unless your female lives another 3-4 months it won't be a issue. In nature (depending on your location) she would freeze and die so she would never see them hatch, or would have left to find food and lay other ooths. If they do hatch with her in there though, the mother will see them as prey and respond as such (just like nymphs see others the same way too).

 

[H_Ercule_S]

I didn't know that . What's the process? I assume it would be just to leave the terrarium outside for while in a paper sack or in shade and that these religiosa's would need it but I'm not sure. These mantises are from the northeast tip of Oregon, so rain and snow 25F winters and 100F dry summers.

 

[CosbyArt]

I didn't know that . What's the process? I assume it would be just to leave the terrarium outside for while in a paper sack or in shade and that these religiosa's would need it but I'm not sure. These mantises are from the northeast tip of Oregon, so rain and snow 25F winters and 100F dry summers.

Many will say it's not necessary, while others will say it it for better hatch rate and stronger nymphs. I personally haven't found which is true, but I just know the incubation time is affected.

Anyway to diapause it is best to place the ooth with the hatch side facing upwards in a small container like a 2oz condiment container works great. Place a single drop of water in the container, not on the ooth directly. Then put on the lid. It's recommended you use a needle to poke at least one hole in it. Other than that place it in a refrigerator of 50 degrees F or cooler. I keep mine at about 40 F, but I found links about your European mantis (Mantis religiosa) stating to use about 50F.

The ootheca of this species that come from Europe need a diapause to develop. This is a period of cold in which the eggs inside the ootheca do not develop. When you do not put the ootheca for 6 to 8 weeks in a cold environment the nymphs that hatch from the ootheca will be weak.

Species that have a diapause in nature, for example the European Mantis, need to get this pause in captivity too. Keep the ootheca cooler, around 12 – 15 degrees Celcius, for at least 8 weeks. After that you can keep the ootheca as described.

You can read more about your species and diapause at this link, this one too, and last one.