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Photo#4540
Mantis Multiple Birth

Mantis Multiple Birth
July 1, 2004
Egg case purchased in Calif.;photographed in Kennebunk, Maine;avg 1.0cm body. My 3rd attempt;apparently do not over-winter in 20 below weather

Tenodera
These are l1 tenodera

Oh, not hatch
Oh, you mean the 3rd attempt did not hatch and it was below 20 degrees. I think they go below 0. I guess that ootheca was infertile or parasite wasps killed them.

 
He means -20°F.
Maine gets frigid.

 
Oh, my bad. From what I read
Oh, my bad. From what I read here Maine did not seem to be that cold: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine#Climate
2004 (or whatever year of the 3rd attempt) must have been a cold winter for Maine.

Hatch early
Tenodera sinensis hatch early. Tenodera angustipennis do not hatch as early.

great pet!
I once kept one as a pet and it is the most amazing thing to see it stalk and attack its prey :)

Edit to your post
Hello, Vincent. I have removed the information you entered into the data location and instead added it to the description on your image. In general, location information should not be added for insects that are known to originate in another state (in this case, purchased in CA, but could have originated elsewhere) because it then shows up on the related data map as an entry for Maine, which may be confusing if that species is not generally expected to be native to that state.

I hope my explanation was not too confusing... If you have questions, please ask! :-)

My guess...
This could be Tenodera sinensis. They are commonly available for sale as egg cases all across the United States for gardens and they help keep pest insects' population down. Now, there are several parallels these nymphs have with the hatchlings of T. sinensis I have raised. For one, both have long antennae and a long straight body. You would notice in a different species, for example, the nymphs curl their abdomen upward. Tenodera sinensis does not do this as nymphs. The coloration for this species does not become apparent until later stages of instar, here they are the same brown as my hatchlings. The head shape, stick like legs and thread like antennae are more indicators that convince me, personally, that these are T. sinensis nymphs.

I have a video of one catching a fruit fly and I probably should start documenting their size as it is easy to see the distinctive features of T. sinensis as they grow older, such as the detail on the upper lip and their twig-imitation behavior.

O_0
That is so cool! :D

Moved
Moved from Mantids.

Amazing
I never knew you could buy there eggs and raise them. that sounds fun. i might want to.

 
Raising Mantids
I was able to do this last spring. Check out my photos. It was an incredible experience!

Amazing!
I once raised a green 1 in captivity in Pass Christian,MS. I fed it crickets dipped in calcium powder(obtained at a pet store for feeding omnivore reptiles) and it grew to over 5 inches!I love predatory insects!!!!!!!

 
Calcium
Calcium might not be so good. I have read that the eggs they make need a lot of calcium so maybe it is good. I have read that calcium is like poison to tarantulas because they cannot use it.

What species is this exactly
What species is this exactly does anyone know?

 
I dont know
I do not know. I guess Tenodera sinensis but there is Tenodera angustipennis that look similar. Did the ootheca look like a ball? Sometimes it can be huge and not exactly a ball. Or was it long with stripes.

:o
:o

The eggcase might survive (th
The eggcase might survive (they do here in Chicago with sub-zero temps), but the nymphs definitely will not. Youd need to release them early spring (late May is ideal).

 
Mantid Egg Case
These are native to New England so I know the egg cases must survive the winters here.

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