How to Hatch a Praying Mantis Egg

The praying mantis (Tenodera aridifolia sinensis), a beneficial garden insect, does not bite or sting. They reside in the garden as solitary hunters who subsist off nuisance insects. Over 1,500 praying mantis species exist worldwide. They are marketed commercially as a natural choice in insect control for the garden. The female mantis creates an egg case that contains approximately 100 to 200 eggs. Hatching praying mantis eggs within an artificial environment can be an exciting learning experience.

Things You'll Need

  • 10 gallon aquarium with cover
  • Twigs with foliage
  • Small bowl
  • Electric reptile heating mat
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill a 10-gallon aquarium with ample twigs that contain leaves, according to the University of Illinois. The twigs and foliage will give the young mantis babies a place to hide when the eggs hatch. The praying mantis is a cannibal so the foliage will help the young mantis babies hide from their siblings.

    • 2

      Place the aquarium on an electric reptile heat mat. Set the heat mat on a low setting.

    • 3

      Attach a lid or cover to the top of the aquarium so the young baby mantises cannot escape once they hatch.

    • 4

      Fill a small bowl halfway full with water. The water in the aquarium will help raise the humidity that helps the eggs to hatch, according to the Keeping Exotic Pets website.

    • 5

      Maintain a room temperature of 67 to 78 F. The eggs normally take three to six weeks before hatching.

    • 6

      Place the ootheca (egg sac) towards the top of the cage. It should hang downwards and offer the young mantis babies ample room to drop down out of the sac when they hatch. When the babies hatch they gently lower themselves from the egg sac to the surrounding foliage and tank floor using a silken line that is similar to a spider's web.