Diapause question

Does anyone know if there are any mantids besides M. religiosa that produce a diapausing ooth (that requires a cold period to hatch)??

Obie

I think that Stagmomantis carolina (Carolina Mantis) might and probably Tenodera aridifolia (Chinese Mantis) as well. The reason I say this is that "organic pest control" dealers tend to be advertizing their stock of these towards the end of winter.

I think that in nature these two do lay their oothecae in the fall to hatch when it is warm again after winter. The dealers probably collect them during this period when the foliage isn't thick with leaves, making the ooths easier to spot.

S. carolina and T. sinensis oothecae do not undergo diapause, the cold weather just prevents them from hatching. If kept warm they will hatch 5-8 weeks after being laid. European M. religiosa needs a cold spell to break diapause, otherwise they do not develop. I am not sure if this is true with African populations of M. religiosa though?

I am unaware of any other mantids that go through diapause in the egg stage.

Hi.

Tropical M. religiosa do not undertake a diapause. When talking about diapause, it should be distinguished between an obligate (as in Palearctic M. religiosa) and a facultative one (as in St. carolina, T. sinensis, T. angustipennis and others). Many tropical species may as well undergo a facultative diapause in the dry season, either as larvae or as ooth.

Regards,

Christian

How long should m. religiosa be subjected to a cold period. I have an ooth thats been kept cold for just over two months. Time to bring it out?

Thanks Christian. So, if the diapause is facultative in certain temperate species, then what triggers the ooth to enter diapause when it happens in these mantids? Could it be photoperiod as in some Lepidoptera? Also, are you sure that these species enter a true facultative diapause and not simply a reduced metabolic rate at low temperatures? I realize that many arthropods in Africa, etc enter diapause when in dry conditions and that this is truly a diapause - and must be broken.

Thanks again,

Obie

Hi.

In temperate zones, the diapause is induced in advance mostly by the photoperiod. A true diapause is characterized by a special membrane appearing then, which surrounds the embryo. It prevents the embryo of hatching too early when wheather is warm - that's why it is be induced by photoperiod, when it's still warm. The diapuse is broken up by better climatic conditions, but only after a certain time. So, the hatchlings cannot emerge during warm days in winter.

Tropical species do not undertake a real diapause, this is called dormancy and is directly induced by worse living conditions. As well, it ends immediately when it gets better.

The differentiation between these both is not easy. There are some mixtures of both existing.

It's not important for breeding, though. If a species comes from a region with a colder/dryer/hotter period, why not offering it the adequate climate?

Regards,

Christian

Do you think that the florida species go through this? I see ooths hatch at times like right before it gets cold. Do the nymphs then go through this "dormancy" period. What I'm asking is that on a warm winter day, would some mantids in this state be active. I know some species can go year round as florida never really gets that cold, but we do get frosts and drop below freezing occasionally. If they do go through dormancy, would they "wake up" and hunt during the warmer days and then go dormant agian when it gets cold?

Something like this. But in this case it may be simply a period of lower activity rather than a real dormancy. During dormancy, physiology is down and activity stopped.

Christian

So species here are just active less, not really dormant, during the winter? So there is the chance that if I go out on warm winter days I could find mantids right. Thanks for the insight.

So species here are just active less, not really dormant, during the winter? So there is the chance that if I go out on warm winter days I could find mantids right. Thanks for the insight.

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I doubt you would find any on warm days in the middle of winter. But then again I don't live i FL and it may be warm enough. Rather warm climate here too but not gonna find any during winter. I did find a chinese ooth last winter that hatched on a warm stretch during the winter. Of course they didn't live as it got very cold a week later.

Thanks for your help.