What do you do with unfertilized oothecae?

[dgerndt]

So I got an adult female Egyptian mantis earlier this month, and I was told that she never mated and her eggs aren't fertile. Last night she laid her first ooth, and now I'm not sure what to do with it. I would put it out in my garden, but seeing as she isn't a native species, I don't want any accidents. (What if she DID mate and her previous owner missed it?) But I don't want to just throw it out in the trash with smelly apple cores and used tissue and such, seeing as she put so much effort into laying those eggs. So my question for you is, what do you do with not native unfertilized oothecae?

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

Honestly, if you're sure it's not fertile, what's the point of keeping it? If you do have some doubts you can always just stick it in a warmish container and mist every so often. I've had lots of doubts to whether the ooth my WC Gonatista female is fertile. Of course, I'm still treating it like a fertile ooth anyways just because she's wild-caught. Oh, you can always dry it out and save it? I'm sure that's feasible...but it might get a little smelly at first from rotting unfertilized eggs. Good luck!

 

[dgerndt]

Honestly, if you're sure it's not fertile, what's the point of keeping it? If you do have some doubts you can always just stick it in a warmish container and mist every so often. I've had lots of doubts to whether the ooth my WC Gonatista female is fertile. Of course, I'm still treating it like a fertile ooth anyways just because she's wild-caught. Oh, you can always dry it out and save it? I'm sure that's feasible...but it might get a little smelly at first from rotting unfertilized eggs. Good luck!

Drying it out sounds like a good idea. I plan on drying and preserving my Chinese mantis when she passes. I guess I could just start a mini mantis collection.

 

[LauraMG]

You could use it as a book stop, or a coffee table conversation piece. Perhaps a gag gift for a dirty Santa party! :lol: I just throw them in the trash when they're not fertile

 

[MantidLord]

I feed them to my crickets. They love them. I think they think there are eggs inside and they're getting revenge.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Feeding them off is excellant idea! I save mine for displays!

 

[PhilinYuma]

It is a little known fact that the Chinese mantis has been bred over the centuries by the Chinese to lay large ooths that, when boiled in water with a little soy sauce, make a delicious soup, not unlike the better known bird's nest soup. Try it, you'll like it!

Caveat:

I have been advised by my lawyers to warn you that neither I nor my heirs can be held in anyway responsible for any adverse effects, up to and including a most disgusting death, on anyone who consumes this delicious dish.

 

[GreenOasis]

You could paint them with clear nail polish & make a pair of fancy, stylish & "Green" earrings! (Okay, I'm just weird and I think things that elaborate, from NATURE, are COOL!)

 

[sporeworld]

Hmmm... Oooth-based accessories...? A cottage industry... An engagment ring with a phasmid ovum as the stone. Long engagement, then *POP* goes the stone...

Something sentimental about a ring stone that can propogate itself parthogenically. Bummer if it never hatched, huh...

 

[Rick]

Display case if I don't already have the species. Otherwise it gets thrown out.

 

[dgerndt]

I'm drying it out under a lamp, and I'm going to save it. It's interesting to look at. I don't think I'd make it into an earring, though. My boyfriend already thinks I'm weird for keeping mantids as pets. :lol:

 

[yen_saw]

Just keep it

 

[dgerndt]

Just keep it

Oh, nice collection!

 

[GreenOasis]

Just keep it

Stole yer pic! (For personal use only, of course!) (And because it's awesome!)

Hubby will enjoy looking it over when he gets home.

 

[Ntsees]

If the ooth looks pretty decent, I keep it. Each mantid has their own type of ooth and who knows, maybe someday someone will be interested in mantids and you'll be able to tell them that this is what the oothecae of this certain species looks like.

Edit: Well, I typed up the comment without looking at the comments. All I have to say now is wow at Yen's picture.

 

[dgerndt]

It's a good thing I didn't throw them out, because they started hatching!! lol. Turns out my female WAS fertile.

 

[lion]

Funny things are happening around the world you might just discover a parthenogenic mantis.

From stories I hear some reptile people have had this happen.

 

[naeff002]

I'm going to make a bord to now. I mis the Idolomantis ooth Yen

 

[GreenOasis]

Funny things are happening around the world you might just discover a parthenogenic mantis.

From stories I hear some reptile people have had this happen.

Uuhm...you *do* realize that Brunners are completely parthenogenetic, right? (It's an all-female mantis species.) :smarty: There are other species that have laid self-fertile eggs, but with Brunners, it's standard for the species.