Too old to lay?

[minomantis]

Have any of you had Mantids lay ooths before they pass? 

Mama Hierodula mated on December 6th then again two weeks after. She was a healthy 5 months into her adult life and I did keep her a little warm so idk where exactly she was in her life cycle. Every time she mated, she seemed to slow down noticably. Needless to say, I didn't get an ooth from her. Might've been egg bound? Don't know how to tell that. 

Maybe there might've been a short window where she could've laid an ooth, but maybe she was just too old? She was a free roam mantis and I would move her from plant to plant and she climbed everywhere, so I know she had opportunities, but it might've just required too much energy? 

Thoughts?

 

[MantisGirl13]

It sounds like she was eggbound. If she looked gravid and ready to lay, but didn't, she probably couldn't. If she was kept a little warmer than she was supposed to be kept, that could have contributed to her being eggbound. I'm sorry that she never laid!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Jaywo]

Similar circumstances took my Orchid female. It's just hard to figure the cause of being eggbound sometimes.

Not sure its age but you never know. My very very old female violin just laid her second fertilized ooth but she was egg bound the first time and I did everything in my power to get her to lay. If she waited another week, she would have died but luckily, she somehow gathered the energy and got the most ridiculously ugly and large ooth out. We just never know how to help sometimes. I'm sorry she never laid.

 

[Mantis Lady]

got the most ridiculously ugly and large ooth out

Do you have a pic of that ooth?

It sounds like she was eggbound. If she looked gravid and ready to lay, but didn't, she probably couldn't.

 Like my Cochise, she was soo fat and no second ooth coming. She was a free to roam mantis there was enough places where she could lay her ooth.

@minomantis I hope your girl will lay an ooth for you.

 

[minomantis]

@Little Mantis Mama Hierodula is on her way out. I'm not getting an ooth from her unfortunately. She was such a good mantis! I'm letting nature do the rest. Everyday she grows weaker. She falls now and doesn't move for periods and then moves I know it's time

 

[Mantis Lady]

Aww, sad to hear it that she is dying. too bad mantids won't live for a few years. their lives are too short.

 

[hysteresis]

A life well spent

 

[Jaywo]

@Little Mantis Mama Hierodula is on her way out. I'm not getting an ooth from her unfortunately. She was such a good mantis! I'm letting nature do the rest. Everyday she grows weaker. She falls now and doesn't move for periods and then moves I know it's time

I'm so sorry to hear that. It's tough losing them.

 

[Jaywo]

Do you have a pic of that ooth?

 Like my Cochise, she was soo fat and no second ooth coming. She was a free to roam mantis there was enough places where she could lay her ooth.

@minomantis I hope your girl will lay an ooth for you.

The ooth looks weird because it was hanging off the branch and I stuck my finger in it to push it back on. She laid two others since she got this one out but it was a close call.

 

[MantisGirl13]

I'm sorry for your loss.   

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

The ooth looks weird because it was hanging off the branch and I stuck my finger in it to push it back on. She laid two others since she got this one out but it was a close call.

View attachment 11956

I remembering seeing this pic earlier, this is a piece of ART

 

[Jaywo]

She just laid her 4th ooth. They are getting smaller and smaller. I think she is going downhill. I held her today and she was really cold and uncoordinated. It is inevitable, she is going on 14-16 months.

 

[hysteresis]

My european female Lola cemented her butt to a lid laying her last bit of foam. I froze her just like that.

She was wild caught, and if her one good ooth I have is fertile (from earlier in the fall), we'll honour her with a hatch. Ill keep some nymphs to carry on with, as I want to see european nymphs in action.

Maybe ill keep some european stock too. Good ol' Lola.