Why should I release my young mantises soon after they hatch?

We recommend that you release your mantises shortly after hatching to live out the rest of their life cycle. Failing to do so causes undue stress as tiny mantids are fearful of each other, and the possibility that they themselves will become prey. Their bodies contain only a small amount of residual nutrition and this is used up quickly under these conditions. Normal behavior of newly hatched mantids is to fall from the old egg case to lie among leaves and flowers, while watching for small prey.