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Extatosoma tiaratum
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Kiril Todorov (Phoki)
![Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 48 W: 0 N: 21]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/s-n-s.gif) (284) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2005-10 |
| Categories: Insects |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2005-10-24 4:28 |
| Viewed: 1193 |
| Points: 4 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Care
There are nearly 3 000 species of Stick-Insects(Phasmida) in the world all of which feed exclusively on vegetation.
Temperature.
Most Sticks come from tropical or semi-tropical environments and are happiest between 75F and 80F, though the common Indian Stick-Insect Carausius morosus and some of its relatives are happy at normal home temperatures of between 60F and 75 F or 24C.
Humidity
Not all sticks share a common need for humidity.Regardless of this all Sticks need water and it is a good policy to thoroughly mist the inside of the cage including all the food plant material each evening.
Food
Almost all Stick-Insects eat the leaves of bramble/blackberry and its relatives of the genus rubus and many such as the Indian or Laboratory Stick-Insect Carausius morosus, the Australian or Giant Spiny Stick-Insect Extatosoma tiaratum will also enjoy plants like Oak Quercus sp and Hawthorn Crateagus monogyna.
Breeding
A number of species of Stick-Insect are parthenogenetic (i.e. the females lay unfertilised eggs which hatch into females which will also lay unfertilised eggs etc.All Stick-Insects lay eggs, some just drop them onto the ground, some sick them under tree bark or into crevices and some bury them in the ground.
Stick-Insect eggs can take from between 2 months and a year to hatch depending on species, in general the larger species are the ones which take longest though not always.
You can either not bother cleaning out the cage floor and let the sticks hatch as they want, in this case it is useful to keep some common Woodlice such as Pocellio scaber in the cage to help keep down the fungus. Or you can collect the eggs each time you clean the cage and keep them in separate containers until they hatch. In this case the eggs of the burying
species will need to be gently reburied about 1cm deep, and the rest will need to be kept on some absorbent material such as sand, all will need to be kept in a warm place and spraying with moisture occasionally will help,a careful/daily watch should be kept for moulds and attacked ova/eggs removed cleaned an then kept in a separate container.
The Amazing World of Stick and Leaf Insectsby Paul D Brock Stick Insects of Britain, Europe and the Mediterranean by Paul Brock.
Phasmids on the Web
© Earth-Life Web Productions |
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