Chinese Mantid nymph - Tenodera aridifolia

The female does not die after

The female does not die after making an ootheca (egg case), she can make several before the cold kills her. Just keep the ooth at room temperature and in about 4-6 weeks it should hatch. Keep moist paper towel or spaghnum moss in the bottom of the enclosure to retain humidity levels up. Or you can keep the ooth in the fridge or outside to delay hatching. Be prepared for hundreds of nymphs and if you don't plan on hatching them in the spring and releasing them you need to have fruit fly cultures established in order to feed them.

… RickNC, 28 January, 2007 - 7:34pm

Nice

Nice picture!!!!!!! I'm "raising" a female and it's about to have babys!!!! Can you give me advise so that i can raise them well along with their mother?

… Krissy, 3 October, 2006 - 5:27pm

Mama Mantid

Hi Krissy,

Females generally die right after they lay their egg mass (or ootheca) and that is usually done this time of year. The eggs will mature over the winter and hatch in the spring.

In the garden center where I purchased these, the instructions mentioned keeping the egg mass in the refrigerator until the weather remained at a constant temperature (so the nymphs don't freeze by a sudden cold snap).

I sprinkled the newborn nymphs out in our gardens and surrounding areas very quickly and that was it. If you keep them contained they will begin eating each other, so get them out as soon as possible!

I am sure a Google search will bring up a more detailed rooster on rearing them from nymphs to adults...good luck!

… Tony DiTerlizzi, 5 October, 2006 - 2:22pm