Professor Phasmid... here to help!
Updated 3rd July 2008
For stick insects (Phasmids), insect cages and mantids go to Small-Life Supplies
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Ask Professor Phasmid... here to help! Updated 3rd July 2008 |
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I am doing a school project for science on stick insects and it is my job to look up information on the reproduction side; please help. Some species of stick insect have males and females in approximately equal numbers and, when adult, these stick insects mate and then the female lays fertilised eggs. Other species of stick insect are "parthenogenetic" which means that they are all females. These female stick insects lay eggs without mating (there are no males) and these eggs hatch into more female stick insects. In 'Keeping Stick Insects' you say New Guinea stick insects (Eurycantha calcarata) can be in a cage with Ventilation Control Panels as nymphs but can have these removed as they grow older. When should they be removed? Could they be left on? If they could be left on can they be kept with Malaysian nymphs (Heteropteryx dilatata)? The Ventilation Control Panels should be removed when the New Guinea stick insect nymphs are about two-thirds grown. New Guinea stick insects need more airy surroundings as they grow and so the panels should certainly have been removed before they are adults. Malaysian stick insects should not be mixed with any other species because the Malaysian stick insects suffer attacks on their antennae. I've just purchased a Bug Studio Professional and would like to know at what stage it is OK to put Indian stick insect nymphs in it. Our stick insects are 7 to 8 weeks old and we're concerned that they could potentially climb out through the holes ... but perhaps they wouldn't even try? At two months old, your Indian stick insects (Carausius morosus) should have completed their first skin-change and maybe their second one. So these stick insects should be OK in the Bug Studio Professional. Indian stick insects usually rest on the sides of the cage or on the stems of foodplant; these stick insects do not go out of their way to squeeze through the ventilation holes. What kind of indoor growing plants do stick insects eat? I live in the mountains and it snows more than half the year hear so blackberry leaves are not an option during that time. If you have the Indian stick insect (Carausius morosus) you could feed it on the Prayer Plant (Maranta tricolor). However, you need to ensure that the soil is not impregnated with any pesticides because the chemicals released are taken up by the plant and will kill the stick insects when they eat the leaves.
Do you know if stick insects can see in colour? Yes, stick insects can see in colour. My daughter purchased two stick insects. One stick insect has just shed its skin today for the first time but is now just lying at the bottom of the tank looking motionless. Its body also appears quite wet looking. It is normal for some stick insects to look slightly wet just after they have undergone a skin-change. At this stage the new skin is very soft and the stick insect needs to rest to allow its new skin to harden. Do not disturb the stick insect for the rest of the day. Ideally, the stick insect should be on the side of the cage; as your stick insect is on the floor this suggests it has fallen. For best results, stick insects should be kept in cages where they can get a good grip on the sides; tanks are not suitable because their sides are too smooth. The Bug Studio Professional is a great stick insect cage. My Pink Winged stick insects were doing great until one of them formed a weird abscess at the end of its ovipositor. It has now fallen off and I have noticed that there are black specks all over its abdomen. Could these be trapped eggs inside it? Yes, you are seeing the eggs inside the abdomen of the Pink Winged stick insect (Sipyloidea sipylus). The stick insect does need to keep laying its eggs and so if it is unable to do this, the prognosis is not good. I have got eight baby Australian Macleays Spectre stick insect nymphs (Extatosoma tiaratum). I was wondering how to tell the females from the males? You need to wait until they have completed a couple of skin-changes before you can tell the difference. Female Australian Macleays Spectre stick insect nymphs have spikier bodies than the males. After a third skin-change you will also be able to see the wing buds on the thorax of the males, this is where their wings are starting to develop. For best results, feed your baby Australian Macleays Spectre stick insects Eucalyptus gunnii and rose leaves, rather than bramble leaves.
I have stick insects and have noticed tonight they are mating for the first time. Can you tell me how long before the eggs are laid and how I know she has had them? Does the male live long after mating? Stick insects mate regularly over their adult lives, so both adult male and adult female stick insects should have similar lifespans. Most stick insects live for around one year, seven months of which as adults. If mating is successful, the female's abdomen should start to swell up as it fills with eggs and she will start laying these, at a rate of a few eggs a day, over the next seven months. It is best not to save all of the stick insect eggs so as to avoid having too many. Are stick insects hexapods or arthropods? Both! Stick insects are hexapods because, as with all insects, stick insects have six legs and "hexapod" means "six footed". Creatures that are classified as "arthropods" have segmented bodies and jointed appendages and so included in this category are insects (eg stick insects), crustaceans (eg crabs and woodlice), arachnids (spiders and scorpions), diplopods (millipedes) and myriapods (centipedes). At my school they are selling stick insects and my Mum and Dad said it's OK for me to keep one but I have been researching about them and they seem pretty hard to keep and I'm scared I might hurt or squash them. My school is selling is the "Laboratory stick insect" but apparently the female can have eggs which do hatch! So I need to know how to tell female and male apart. Stick insects are easy to keep and the "Laboratory stick insect", which is usually called the Indian stick insect (Carausius morosus), is a great type to start with and can certainly be handled without being hurt or squashed. Indian stick insects are parthenogenetic which means that they are all females, and lay eggs (without mating) that hatch into more females. Indian stick insects like company and so you would need to get several to keep together in a large well-ventilated cage such as the Bug Studio Professional. I have a really unusual looking stick insect - it is an adult Indian stick insect which is black with a yellow diamond shaped mark on its abdomen. What has caused this Indian stick insect to look like this? Most adult Indian stick insects are green with red tops to their front legs. If Indian stick insects are kept in humid conditions, a greater percentage of adults are brown, instead of green. I have seen the black colouration you describe in colonies of predominantly green individuals kept in well-ventilated cages. It is rare but seems to just be a result of natural colour variation amongst individuals rather than due to any specific conditions.
Can you tell me if Peruvian stick insects are safe to handle? There are two species of Peruvian stick insects offered privately for sale. The Peruvian Fern stick insect (Oreophoetes peruana) has red males and yellow and black striped females. This type emits a white liquid from its body that smells and occasionally can cause minor skin irritation. The other type is the black Peruvian stick insect (Peruphasma schultei). This stick insect readily sprays a liquid that can cause respiratory problems in some people. So although there are people who are unaffected by these stick insects, Small-Life Supplies do not breed or sell either species because of their potential health risks to people and other pets (including cats and dogs). Two of my Pink Winged stick insects give out a funny smelling yellow goo from their mouths when you try to pick them up. Is this normal? Pink Winged stick insects can exude a yellow liquid from their mouths when they are frightened. It is harmless to people and is designed to deter predators in the wild. You need to be more gentle when picking them up and perhaps talk to them at the same time (they can hear) to calm them down. With practice and patience they should become calmer and stop releasing the liquid. My four Japanese head-shaking caterpillars disappeared into the soil last week and so I thought I'd dig around and lift them out. But when I went in with a spoon I accidentally damaged one of the pupae. Liquid starting oozing out and it's not twitching anymore. Have I killed it? Unfortunately, yes it has probably died. When looking for the pupae it is best to tip the entire box of soil out onto a tray and then carefully sift through it using a large decorating paintbrush (1" bristle width). Hard objects such as cutlery can pierce the pupae and so should not be used. Also, it is best to wait around three weeks before searching for the pupae because although some caterpillars can transform into pupae within days, other individuals can take up to ten days to complete the transformation. The pupae then need time to harden properly and should not be disturbed during this vulnerable time. How does a grasshopper hang onto the car when driving at up to speeds of 60 mph? Cars are designed to be streamlined which means that the air flows smoothly over the car and there is no turbulence at the surface of the car. There is a layer of stationary air, up to a few millimetres deep at the surface because of friction (drag) between the air and the car. This means that an insect which sits in this layer can hold on because there is little force on it and it is not being exposed to the full speed at which the car is travelling at. We're thrilled that our Japanese head-shaking caterpillars are now huge and have an orange stripe down their backs. We see from your instructions that we need to put them in earth but it's been pouring down with rain and the earth is stuck together and wet. Will the caterpillars be able to burrow through it? No, you need to dig up some soil and then spread it thinly on a tray to dry out a bit. The large clumps should be broken up with a fork. If you put the soil on a metal tray it can be placed in the oven at a high temperature, to speed up the drying process, but let it cool before placing the caterpillars on it.
We purchased some Japanese caterpillars (Brahmea japonica) three weeks ago. They were eating and growing well and a few days ago the largest of the two turned orange. Two days later it turned back to green again and they both seem to have stopped eating, pooing and seem really dormant. When the Japanese caterpillar (Brahmea japonica) becomes orange, it is a sign that the caterpillar is ready to enter the next stage of its lifecycle, pupation. It will not eat again. When orange, the caterpillar is very active and should be left for 24 hours to wander round the Bug Studio Professional. It should then be transferred to a washing-up bowl of soil, placed in a hole around 4cm deep and and quickly covered with soil. Ideally some dead leaves should be placed on top of the soil and then a large piece of cardboard or hard plastic placed directly on top. There should be no gaps around the edge. Place the bowl in a dark place and do not disturb it. The caterpillar will bury itself in the soil, turn green again and shrink, before transforming into a brown pupa. Because your caterpillars have turned green again, you need to quickly bury them in the soil, place the hard cover on top and leave the bowl undisturbed so they can complete their transformation into pupae. I have about thirty Indian stick insects which were all eggs and hatched nicely, they're growing great, some are nearly fully grown. I have just noticed a couple of them have like a green gooey stuff coming out of their back ends, what is this? Indian stick insects are parthenogenetic which means that they are all female and are able to lay eggs without mating. Occasionally female Indian stick insects develop with some male characteristics; this is the green gooey stuff which you have seen. Such individuals usually only manage to lay a handful of eggs instead of the hundreds of eggs produced by true female Indian stick insects. My largest Japanese caterpillar just turned orange and so I put it on the soil but it's just been churning around all morning under the sheet of clear polycarbonate. Should I press the polycarbonate down further so that's it touching the soil (it's about 5cm above at the moment)? Once the Japanese caterpillar has turned orange you need to wait 24 hours before putting it into the container of soil. You then need to make a hole in the soil, place the caterpillar in the hole, cover it over with soil, sprinkle dead leaves on top and then quickly place the polycarbonate on top. The polycarbonate should touch the dead leaves on the soil and not be 5cm above it. There should be no gaps around the edge of the polycarbonate; it is important that the caterpillar stays underneath it (in the soil) and cannot escape. Japanese caterpillars need it to be dark to pupate and so you need to cover the entire container with a black bin bag or place it in a dark place. Try not to disturb it for the next week or so. I've just bought a Pink Winged Stick Insect Kit and I am really worried how I can mist the bramble leaves with water without getting my Pink Winged stick insects wet. You can slide open the lid on the Bug Studio Professional and squirt the water downwards, aiming it at the bramble leaves rather than the stick insects. Or you can lift out the Pot and Oasis holding the bramble stems and spray the leaves gently. Or you can squirt water horizontally through the sides of the Bug Studio Professional, directing the water towards the leaves rather than the stick insects. The mister should be set to a "fine spray" setting rather than a "strong jet".
I have some stick insect eggs. What do they look like when they are about to hatch? Does the top come off and they crawl out and how long does it take to get out? Stick insect eggs do not alter in appearance during their incubation and so it is not possible to tell when they are about to hatch just by looking at them. When a stick insect egg hatches, the baby inside (called the first instar nymph) pushes off the lid of the egg (called the operculum) with its head and then pulls its body out. The emergence is fast, usually around one minute. About one year ago I bought a Thailand stick insect, how long do they normally live? Thailand stick insects (Baculum thaii) are one of the longer lived species, with individuals living for 14 months on average. I really want to know what stick insects weigh and can they eat wood chips? The adult female Australian Macleays Spectre stick insect (Extatosoma tiaratum) is one of the heavier types, weighing 15g. The adult female Malaysian stick insect (Heteropteryx dilatata) is even heavier, typically weighing between 40g and 50g. In an emergency, stick insects can gnaw at twigs but they are not xylophagous insects (wood eating) and so feeding them with wood chips would not be suitable. Instead, they are herbivorous insects and need fresh leaves to eat; most species do best if fed with bramble (blackberry) leaves. I have had my Giant African land snails for a couple of years. Last year, they woke up from hibernation around March, this year they went into hibernation around November, now its May (and warm) and they still haven't woken up, I think they're dead. How can I tell? You need to examine your snails and see if there is an opaque covering across the entrance to the shell. If there is, you need to soak the snails in a very shallow dish of warm water for about thirty minutes (replacing the water so that it stays warm) and the snails should wake up and push off the covering. There is an oval hole in the opaque covering , this is the breathing hole, and so must be above the level of the water at all times. Repeat one hour later if necessary. A dead African land snail gives off a very bad smell and the fleshy body either hangs out of the shell or is hidden well inside.
How did stick insects get their names? Stick insects have two names; a "common" name and a Latin name. The common name reflects their country of origin, so for example, the Borneo stick insect is found in the wild in Borneo and the Australian stick insect naturally occurs in Australia. The Latin name comprises two words; the first word is the "genus" of the stick insect and is a way of classifying stick insects; stick insects with similar characteristics belong to the same genus. So, for example the Borneo stick insect belongs to the genus Phenacephorus. The genus is always in italics. The second word in the Latin name identifies the stick insect further to the species level - this also is usually in italics but not always (for example if it has not been identified fully, it is referred to as sp. for species). So the species name of the Borneo stick insect is Phenacephorus cornucervi. The Australian stick insect belongs to the genus Extatosoma and its full species name is Extatosoma tiaratum. Using species names is helpful because, being Latin, the words require no translation and so can be used and understood by everyone worldwide. To see various Latin names of stick insects why not get the Latin Cotton Bag (an eco-shopper bag specially printed). We have successfully hatched out twenty four baby Indian stick insects and they were all doing fine until this week when two of them seem ill - they are lying on their backs, waving their legs, and are unable to stand up. Unfortunately your stick insects are showing the classic symptoms of being poisoned and will die. Perhaps they have been exposed to air-borne chemicals (for example a flea spray, plug-in air-freshener, paint fumes). Or they might have eaten some poisoned leaves. The usual culprits are shop-bought potted plants which have insecticides in the soil; these poisons are taken up inside the veins of the leaves and cannot be washed off. I received four of your "Head-shaking Japanese caterpillars" and am delighted with them. I was wondering if they could live in the same Bug Studio Professional as my Indian stick insects, seeing as they both eat privet leaves? Although they both eat privet leaves, it can be tricky to keep stick insects and caterpillars together because stick insects need to drink from wet privet leaves whereas caterpillars can become ill if they eat wet leaves. So it's best to house them separately. I received five Australian Macleays Spectre stick insect nymphs as a gift. One of them appears to be male. Will he be likely to mate with all four females? I want some more males to hatch within the next generation, and I can't possibly keep the eggs of all four female stick insects. Adult male Australian Macleays Spectre stick insects have large wings and so look completely different to the females. It entirely depends on the individual stick insect whether he pairs up with just one female or chooses to mate with all four of them. Mating usually lasts for many hours and so you'll be able to identify which females are laying fertilised eggs. The Culture Club (tel 01949 842446) is always happy to receive surplus Australian stick insect eggs if you have too many. I have some stick insects, I'm not sure what kind they are, they are just about 5cm long & are a pale yellow-ish colour. I don't know what to feed them & do they have to have some kind of cage they can climb up? Stick insects are living creatures and so it's always best to find out about their needs before getting some so you know how to look after them properly. And it's best to get them from a reputable breeder who can supply you with proper care instructions and tell you exactly what type you have. There are so many species, it's impossible for me to know what type you have. However, most of them eat bramble (blackberry) leaves and so I'd try that first (mist the leaves with water first). Also, stick insects do all climb and so yes, they need a cage with sides that they can hook their claws around and climb up. I'm intrigued by the head-shaking Japanese caterpillars for sale on your site. Do they shake their heads slowly or quickly? And how long to they do this? The Japanese caterpillar (Brahmea japonica) shakes its head (with the four long bristles attached) quickly! Sometimes the caterpillars shake their heads at each other, sometimes one will just shake its head by itself. This behaviour lasts for several seconds and is entertaining to watch! I have lovely Indian stick insects, four adults, two medium sized and one small growing nymph in one cage. They have fresh bramble and water. One of the full grown adult has been holding onto the roof of the cage with its tail really hanging down, looking deflated somehow. Can you tell me what might be wrong with it? The abdomen of an Indian stick insect should be rounded, or inflated. When it is deflated as you describe, this indicates that there is a sharp crease across the abdomen, restricting the movement of the fluids and air. You need to locate this crease and then put your fingers either side of it and squeeze gently. The abdomen should quickly inflate. The sooner you do this the better the chances of recovery. Such creasing occurs when the stick insect has been caught in the door of the cage or when the stick insect has fallen awkwardly and bent its body backwards. We have got some stick insects at our nursery and they are laying eggs. Please can you tell us how long they take to hatch? You don't say what species of stick insect you have; it's helpful to know this because the eggs of different species incubate at different rates. The most common stick insect is the Indian stick insect, and their eggs take four months to hatch if kept indoors, dry, in a QBOX. I know that the Latin name for the Laboratory Stick Insect is Carausius morosus but I was wondering should the "morosus" be spelt with a small "m" or a capital "M"? I've seen both spellings and wondered which is right? The Latin species names of stick insects are usually made up of two words. The first word denotes the "genus" and this starts with a capital letter. The second word completes the species name and this should always start with a lower case letter. The Latin species names should always be in italics.
Both Emperor caterpillars that I bought from Small-Life Supplies last year have emerged as moths today! They're fantastic; how did they know to emerge on the same day? Will you be selling these caterpillars again this year because I'd definitely like some more. It appears that there must be some communication between the cocoons to ensure that emergence is synchronised. A batch of our Emperor moth cocoons (produced during June and July of last year) also emerged as moths today; we shall expect more to emerge over the next few days. Some moths are already mating and so we will have eggs within days and the resultant caterpillars for sale in a few weeks time. Near where I live I cannot find any suitable bramble, and it isn't practical to drive every three days. Can the New Guinea stick insects eat privet? New Guinea stick insects (Eurycantha calcarata) need to eat bramble leaves. You could drive and collect a good load of bramble which you could then keep fresh by standing it in a bucket of water outside (it can stay fresh for up to two weeks if kept like this). Or, Fresh Cut Bramble is always available by post from Small-Life Supplies. My daughter has an Indian stick insect and her first egg has hatched three days ago and although there is a small amount of movement this appears to be very limited. She has collected the eggs in a small jar and the 'baby' stick insect is just lying in the bottom, moving very occasionally. Should this be expected or should the 'baby' stick insect be climbing? Baby Indian stick insects need to drink water (and then eat) when they're born and so you need to put a slightly wet bramble or privet leaf in with your stick insect. The sides of your jar may be too smooth for the stick insect to climb (especially if it is a glass jar) and so that is one reason why we recommend the QBOX for housing baby stick insects. Many people get two QBOXES; one to store the eggs and the other to house the baby stick insects. There is then no danger of the eggs getting wetted by the leaves. A QBOX can house up to twelve newly hatched Indian stick insects (Carausius morosus). How do stick insects breathe? I heard they have over twenty spots on their bodies to breathe from. The spots you refer to are not spots but are holes, called spiracles. These are situated either side of the stick insect's abdomen, along its length and the air drifts into the stick insect's body through these spiracles. There are usually twenty spiracles. The air then travels within the stick insect through a series of fine tubes, called tracheoles. Further details are in the book "Keeping Stick Insects" by Dorothy Floyd.
I'm unsure which bramble to cut for my stick insects. Would they like the new growth or are these leaves too small? At this time of year, the old bramble leaves die off and the young shoots start to sprout into small pale green leaves. These tiny leaves can contain toxins to deter insects from eating them and so it is essential NOT to give these to your stick insects. Fortunately, there are different species of wild bramble and they lose their leaves at different times. So you need to look in a different wooded area and find some bramble which still has the large old leaves attached and give these to your stick insects.
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| To ask a question, you need to click on this link: prof@small-life.co.uk Or, email your question to me, writing "A QUESTION FOR PROF" in the subject box. I only read e-mails sent this way, others are filtered out. Please note that I only answer queries on this page, I cannot e-mail you personally. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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