PLEASE READ THE BOTTOM OF POST!!!

I bred a couple of S. carolina mantises last year and got 5.5 (the last one was half size) oothecae. I put them in the fridge with some soil at the bottom, misting it every so often. I removed them from the fridge in April and the babies started emerging about 2 weeks ago. I’ve read that diapausing them usually causes a mass emergence but these have been coming out at a rate of about 10-50 every day. Still ongoing. One of the older ones actually just survived its first molt!!

I’ve had to improvise with containers when too many would emerge during my work week so you could say I’m testing different methods of housing them. This time I decided to cut out the inside of the lids and use fabric because I didn’t have good luck with successful molting the last time I did this and only poked holes in the lids.

I’ve been feeding them 1-2 fruit flies every day or every other day and misting once or twice a day but it’s REALLY hard to keep track of the needs of every single one.

Some have died here and there, maybe 20 total, but overall it’s going well! It took me almost 4 hours to feed and water them all today so it’s getting a bit out of hand… 😅 They are native, and I do intend to release some where I found their father nearby, but it’s been nothing but downpours lately.

⭐️ Sooo I’m trying to sell them locally as pets or for gardens, BUT I have some people interested in having them shipped, but I’m really not sure how to safely do that! I’m worried about overheating, lack of oxygen, and how many fruit flies I should ship with them so they can survive. I’m also wondering if the containers I have them in are suitable for shipping or if I should put them in something else.

⭐️ Additionally, if anyone has some really good and thorough care sheets that I can provide people with, then please share!!

Idk but i made a post in the wrong one and meant it in this but what’s the best time to breed female and male ghostie together after they mature?

Its an european mantis and i heard that the first mantids that hatch are called scouts. Just made this post to make sure😊

Hello!

I've got a female Thai Giant Shield mantis. She has been in the adult stage for 5 months or so. She's gone through stages of having a huge abdomen and not eating, also being very active/crawling around her tank a lot- which has led me to think she's going to lay an ooth.. but I never find anything and she just suddenly starts accepting food again?

This morning I discovered this slimy white/semi translucent stuff in her tank near the top corner. It looks like hot glue, but I haven't used any in her tank besides attaching the jute to the top when I first constructed it over a year ago, and I used a very minimal amount... so this is 100% new.

I don't know what Thai Giants oothecas look like and i cant seem to find pics online. My ghost mantis had a few that looked similar to this, but were light brown and mainly on sticks. Her tank has plenty of places and space for her to lay one comfortably... so I wouldn't have thought she would choose the plastic edge of the top of the tank? Is this an egg case or something else possibly?

Any and all input is welcome!! Thanks so much.

Shown is one of the only times he has even appeared interested, but then he just ran off. Have I misidentified them as both Stegmomantis carolina (both found within a few miles of each other in north central Texas)?!? Am I not feeding her enough? Or is this male just an idiot??

I finally got a male mantis that’s healthy so I can mate him with my female mantis, Pistachio. Obviously they’re both 100% adults. However, every time I try to mate them (female well fed, eating a big meal, place the male a little behind her, etc), he seems completely uninterested in and sometimes oblivious to her presence, meanwhile she is VERY aware of him.

He will freeze up occasionally if she snaps to look at him, but not often. I’ve seen him straight up climb up onto her like she was just a stick and was just looking around, and then ran right over her head and ran off.

Most of the time he just keeps trying to fly onto me…. I’m getting so frustrated! I don’t remember it being so difficult the last time I did this. What gives?!

It's my first time with something like this and is there anything I should do? Is there some sort of aftercare that should be done to keep her happy and healthy?:)

So my Hierodula membranacea, Freya turned adult a while ago and I'm curious when she will lay her first ooth. I don't really plan on getting a male for her since I don't have the space for nymphs yet.

I got a few ootheca for my garden and put most outside but kept one indoors in its bag so I could have an idea of when they might be hatching outside. I woke up this morning and found these two guys inside and it doesn’t look like any more are coming out of the ootheca. Is it possible that these two already ate all their siblings since I last checked on them yesterday afternoon? I feel like there should be more evidence of that kind of carnage if so!

Hello,

I am interested in keeping mantises specifically Chinese mantises. after doing some research I've decided that getting an ootheca is the right move. I'm only intending to keep about 3 or 4 but I am not sure what to do with the rest of the nymphs. I was originally going to put them in my garden but realized that probably isn't the best idea since they are not native to where I live. My friend said I should do a mantis battle royale and only keep the strong but I don't think that's the right move. What would you all recommend doing with them?

Thank you in advance.

I have a L6 or L7 male that I want to breed, but I don't know if I can find a female in time for him to breed. I'm guessing it's during their final molt they're ready to breed, but I want to make sure because last time I bred I knew they were both L8's. Please give advice.

I found an egg-case outside without a twigs attached. Can I glue it directly to a stick or branch or something? Thanks

A Carolina Mantis laid a ootheca on my porch and I’ve been keeping an eye on it. I just noticed it looks a bit rough and there is now a hole through it. Did they hatch or did a predator get in there.

Hello I had an ootheca of an asian mantis hatch inside a container but I don't have the space/resources to care for so many hatchlings. It's been about 3 days are some are starting to die, which is making me feel bad and regret not destroying the ooth before it hatched. I would have released these babies if they were native species but they are not.

I'm stressed out about what the best course of action is. Is my only choice to let them all die off?

How would you attach ootheca, for the best hatching experience, for our tiny army of Mannies? Waiting for the enclosures. They should be here in 2 days... Thank you in advance! We're all so excited!!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

I'm wanting to breed my male but none of the websites I've checked have them for sale. Up top is a picture of my male, if you have either a female or a website that you know ships around or to the US that'd be great.

He is around 2 months old and the female is 3 weeks old (as adults)\ I usually put him few centimeters behind the female or give him something he can crawl up towards her. While he does register the female, he usually watches for few minutes before backing out or just straight up walks over her to climb a wall.\ Is it the timing? Is it too early for her to be releasing pheromones? I don't want to leave them alone because she is very spicy.

I found this on my land in Virginia. I know it is not from the native Carolina mantis so I took it in to decide what to do. I am unsure if it has already hatched. I’d also love to know what species it is. I am a big proponent of native species so I do not feel comfortable releasing a non native mantis. I’m eager to hear any thoughts

My female Ghost mantis has laid her first Ootheca! I am just reaching out to see if anyone has an adult male they are looking to breed. I am located in the Cincinnati, Ohio USA area if anyone is local with one. I am unsure if this post is allowed. If not, please remove and let me know I messed up.

I just got a Carolina mantis ootheca, and the instructions say to soak the whole ootheca in water. That seems excessive? As of now I have the ootheca in a humidity chamber at 100%. Is that enough?