Wasps in Ooth

[bugloverjo]

I found a mantid ooth yesterday, and put it in an enclosure for hatching. However, after a few hours, I noticed a couple of Torymidae wasps emerging. Have any of you dealt with these, and do you think there's any chance that there are still viable eggs in the ooth that will hatch nymphs? Thanks!

 

[Ranitomeya]

It is unlikely that the entire ootheca is parasitized, so at least a few nymphs should hatch out from it if it is fertile.

 

[KevinsWither]

Very early on, from an ebay seller of supposed carolina mantids, wasps came out. In my protocol, it would be to isolate the affected ooth and make sure that no females are nearby, as they will parasitized any mantis ooth. It's nasty and they will have to be freezed or autoclaved. It's a huge shame to have them parasitized a valuable mantis ooth, especially if it is an orchid or idolomantis ooth. 

Prevention involves having good cages (like those net cube cages), checking the female's rear end (those wasps sit on the females' abodomen until she lays). 

 

[Kermit]

They are a nusance but they only eat a few of the unborn nymphs. When they emerge in a net cage, I just vacuum them up. Or crush them. The ooth hatches just fine