Still No Orchid Ooths

[AikoAiko]

I mated my female orchid mantis Kerrigan on October 15th and 17th after she had been an adult for three weeks. Each time with a different male and I saw them connected both times. Each mating lasted about six hours. The males were both young (about three weeks adult) at the time and I did not slow them down when I was raising them since they came from a younger batch of nymphs than my female.

I feed Kerrigan on houseflies gut loaded with honey every other day. I offer her flies until she refuses to eat any more, usually she eats about ten each feeding. She is kept in a five gallon terrarium filled with plastic orchids and ferns, at about 75-80 degrees F with about 40-60% humidity.

It has now been about eight weeks since the matings and she still hasn't laid anything. Where's the ooths?

Would remating her help at all? Both males are still alive and well. Any advice welcome.

Aiko

 

[Peter Clausen]

Does she appear as though she's about to burst? If not, she needs more food. It takes a lot of flies to feed a female, but her lack of interest in more flies does seem to indicate she is well fed.

My orchid females seem to be a little on the slow side usually too. You keep yours warmer than I keep mine (that's a good thing), so I'm guessing you'll see an ootheca VERY soon!

 

[AikoAiko]

Here are the photos of Kerrigan mating back in October.









P.S. The ooth mantis_whisper gave me hatched a couple of orchid nymphs today!

 

[hibiscusmile]

This species is in no hurry to lay their ooths, patience is a virtue here, and really if she does not lay there is nothing you can do. She should lay this month and remating probably wont do any good, but if u don't need the male it probably won't hurt.

 

[Rick]

Mating probably has nothing to do with when they will lay. Keep her well fed. I feed gravid females daily.

 

[AikoAiko]

Thanks for all the great posts. Her abdomen looks pretty swollen to me, but I will try feeding her more often.