Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a praying mantis female from the wild about 3 months ago. She has never been in contact with any other praying mantis since I have had her. She stays in the 10 gallon tank I have provided for her. But this morning I wake up to notice she is making a cocoon. How is this possible? I thought praying mantis layed eggs 14 days or so after mating? Is there some way she could have held the eggs she had already been pregnate with inside her while she got comptable in her new home of the tank? Or could she just be making a nest in hopes of finding a new mate?

The female will lay her ootheca (egg case) whether she has been mated or not. There is no set time period from the time she HAS mated until the time she lays an ooth. Like I said she will lay them regardless of whether mated or not. The ooth she laid will contain eggs. If she is wild caught as an adult it is highly likely she was mated before you found her. Which means her eggs will likely be fertile and hatch. The female needs only to have been mated once to lay several fertile egg cases. However with each one laid the number of fertile eggs can drop.

I see, thanks very much. I guess we will be having some new baby praying mantis soon then heh. How long does it usally take before they hatch?

There is a good chance it is fertile if you caught her when she was already mature. So if you keep the ooth at room temperatures it can hatch in about 6 wks. The last one I kept indoors from the time it was laid until it hatched took right around 40 days. If it does not hatch then give it some more time. Some take longer than others. If you are not ready for it to hatch that soon you can put it outside in the cold or in the fridge for awhile. Remember, they sit outside all winter and hatch in the spring.

I dont know, 3 months seems a little long. I still think that mine hatched from parthenogenesis... but dont listen to me.