Mantid ootheca

Thats great adrienne, thanks for all the info. I was thinking of using a small exo terra front opening terrarium that I have, but that may prove a problem with the fruit flies, unless they get eaten quickly! I might add small ventilation holes to a large plastic jar & keep them there for the first few days at least, then decide which ones I want to keep & move them to the terrarium, & release the rest around our yard - we have 9 acres so plenty of spots for them!

They will eat before their first shed. 2 to 3 days is about right on when they will begin to feed.
On day 1 and every day, they will need a fine mist of water to drink, but if there are large droplets, some nymphs can drown. Their first molt will be most likely at 7 to 14 days. Make sure to mist them frequently so they don't get stuck in their exuviae.
The misting frequency will depend on the type of enclosure and how much ventilation it gets. Net butterfly enclosures are great, but will need more frequent misting. Make sure that your enclosure has fine enough mesh so fruit flies don't escape all over your home. Fruit flies will get a much better feeding response than aphids in a captive environment. ;) The more movement, the better.

I have been raising Carolinas on and off for a couple of years. They are a favorite of mine.

Sorry for writing a book. I just get all excited about pet arthropoda. :D

Thanks for the additional info adrienne.
Jemma, I'm hoping that we will have a good supply of aphids when they hatch - we don't spray so we usually do have quite a few! :-) There aren't any around yet though so if they hatch soon I will get some fruit flies from a local pet store. From what I have read, they don't eat until they have gone through their first shed at around 3 days old.

Hi Karen,what will you be feeding the baby mantises?

The oothecae of species in your area are easy to tell apart. :) There are Tenodera aridifolia sinensis, and their oothecae are large and more sphere shaped, with more foam. There may be Tenodera angustipennis, and perhaps Mantis religiosa, but their oothecae also have distinct looks. ;)

If you were in a more western state, I wouldn't know what to say, as there are other Stagmomantis species. :/ lol

Thanks Adrienne! I thought it probably was S. carolina but I wasn't sure if there are any other species in this area. I will check out the forum - thanks for the link!
Thank you too Jacob!

You will not be disappointed with Stagmomantis carolina. They are fun to raise and can have so many color variations, especially for the females. If you need any advice on how to raise them you can register at mantidforum.net.

Wow! This almost has a trilobite appearance!