What are these???

[AmandaS]

I hatch them in all of my enclosures, all the time. You’ll get a ton of them on the day that they hatch. My girls make quick work of them and there are usually none left by the end of the day. The boys tend to let them stick around a little bit longer. But after the second day or so the mantids have pretty much calm down and found a good spot, or they start eating each other. Either way they start thinning out after 2 to 3 days, even if the Chamaeleon doesn’t eat them. But like I said, my girls will knock them out almost as quickly as they can emerge from the ooth.

This is clarice’s fat and happy face (notice she is waiting next to the ooth). And Lucy going to town on hatch day.

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Spring was eating them as they were hatching. I was "whoa up there girl! Save some to eat the gnats!"

 

[Beman]

Spring was eating them as they were hatching. I was "whoa up there girl! Save some to eat the gnats!"
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omg the pick where they are coming out, it's like so nasty every time I see it I gag a little lol They look like little aliens.

 

[AmandaS]

omg the pick where they are coming out, it's like so nasty every time I see it I gag a little lol They look like little aliens.

It was weird when their legs were all tied up. Lol. They reminded me of shrimp.
And their eyes are so big

 

[Multivitamins]

That solves it time to order some ooths !

 

[MissSkittles]

Question @snitz427 @jamest0o0 @AmandaS Is there any particular type of mantis that is more proficient at controlling these white flies and soil gnats?

 

[AmandaS]

Question @snitz427 @jamest0o0 @AmandaS Is there any particular type of mantis that is more proficient at controlling these white flies and soil gnats?

Hmm, that's a good question that I do not have an answer to.

 

[snitz427]

Any will do - but chinese mantids tend to have larger ooths / more babies. They are also the most common, and cheapest to buy (ebay!!).

Carolina mantids are native, a bit smaller babies and less of them. I’ve had a hard time finding these, but they’re not worth the effort. Go with the chinese.

 

[MissSkittles]

Any will do - but chinese mantids tend to have larger ooths / more babies. They are also the most common, and cheapest to buy (ebay!!).

Carolina mantids are native, a bit smaller babies and less of them. I’ve had a hard time finding these, but they’re not worth the effort. Go with the chinese.

Thanks! You also answered my next question of where to buy.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Your options are have them spread to other plants in your house, or outside your house. If it’s whitefly they need to be hosed off outdoors or they’re just going to scatter indoors. If you’re only taking it outside to clean the plant and bringing it back in, I seriously doubt you’re going to risk picking up new pests. I do this semi-regularly with about 400 plants. New pests typically come from new plants that I didn’t properly clean in quarantine, because I was too antsy or lazy.

 

[Multivitamins]

thanks for the spike in motivation I just ordered 4 ooths. my gardens gonna love me and my cham well fed

 

[AmandaS]

Last order I ordered 11....then I was thinking "what the hell is wrong with me? Am I crazy? I only have 2 chameleons...."
But then I remembered the several threads on here about all of us being crazy chameleon people...and yeah, I AM crazy. So, oh well. What can you do?
I'm down to 2. Haha.

 

[MissSkittles]

I’ve only ordered 2 ooths for now...want to see what they are like in terms of quantity. I’ll also be ordering some lacewings just to help clear anything that might be there like thrips.
Does anyone know anything about whitefly parasite (encarsia formosa)? I’m cautious about adding things that may in itself turn out to be a nuisance or harm my cuc.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I was thinking "what the hell is wrong with me? Am I crazy? I only have 2 chameleons...."
But then I remembered the several threads on here about all of us being crazy chameleon people...and yeah, I AM crazy. So, oh well. What can you do?