Katydid eggs hatched!

[jamest0o0]

Pretty geeked about this because I caught them late last summer/early fall. Took them forever, but has been a fun side project getting these guys to grow, lay eggs, and finally hatch for the first time. The adults are large and green, pretty much look like leaves. I need to actually spend a minute figuring out which species they are still lol.

 

[jamest0o0]

I need to get better pictures...

Threw some maple leaves and dandelion in there for them, hopefully they take to it.

BTW, looks to be about a dozen of them so far, not sure how many eggs there were total.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Be careful and give them extra room. Katydid are cannibals.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[JoXie411]

Like me when I’m hungry

 

[jamest0o0]

Be careful and give them extra room. Katydid are cannibals.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

I've never seen the adults cannibalize, is it more likely as nymphs or maybe certain species? They do seem happy to eat a wide range of things.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Keep

I've never seen the adults cannibalize, is it more likely as nymphs or maybe certain species? They do seem happy to eat a wide range of things.

Keep an eye on it. I have had the green species of Katydids that live here in central California in small groups start to feed on each other. That is a big part of the reason I stopped keeping colonies of Katydids.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[jamest0o0]

Keep


Keep an eye on it. I have had the green species of Katydids that live here in central California in small groups start to feed on each other. That is a big part of the reason I stopped keeping colonies of Katydids.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

Wouldn't doubt it, but I haven't experienced it. I haven't had all that many though since these require a diapause to hatch. Otherwise they'd be pretty easy as mine have taken to food and grow pretty well.

 

[SauceGandhi]

I've never seen the adults cannibalize, is it more likely as nymphs or maybe certain species? They do seem happy to eat a wide range of things.

The cannibalization happens during molting so yeah just the nymphs that are vulnerable.

 

[jamest0o0]

The cannibalization happens during molting so yeah just the nymphs that are vulnerable.

Ahhh makes sense, I feel like it's that way for most insects. I've seen roaches cannibalize each other as well. My katydids last year were larger nymphs when I got them, I think I had 5-10, cant remember.

 

[snitz427]

 

[Persnickety Parson's]

This is awesome, keep us updated. Clover is also a hit, and bear in mind they may appreciate insect prey too.

Next you have to try to breed Dissosteira carolina, my favorite

 

[jamest0o0]

This is awesome, keep us updated. Clover is also a hit, and bear in mind they may appreciate insect prey too.

Next you have to try to breed Dissosteira carolina, my favorite

@SauceGandhi have you tried these?

 

[JoXie411]

Yeah with a little bit of hot sauce

@SauceGandhi have you tried these?

 

[nightanole]

I was legit trying to find Katy's hatchling in the first pic...

 

[SauceGandhi]

@SauceGandhi have you tried these?

No, but I've tried a similar species, Trimerotropis pallidipennis. Another species of the same tribe of band-winged grasshoppers. Dissosteira carolina just has a longer life cycle + diapause eggs.

 

[jannb]

Congratulations! We use to raise Katydids when we kept parsons and always kept them together in a medium size screen cage and never had a problem with them eating each other. We raised them for about 4 years.

 

[SauceGandhi]

I found some old pictures from when I used to breed them. Dissosteira carolina should be about the same, just slower and slightly larger. Let me know how it goes if you try them out. I've always been wanting to do more species, but haven't had the time to go out and find some of the farther ones.

 

[jamest0o0]

Congratulations! We use to raise Katydids when we kept parsons and always kept them together in a medium size screen cage and never had a problem with them eating each other. We raised them for about 4 years.

Ty jan! Thought I remembered that. What did you find their preferred food to be? Since you're in florida, did the ones there hatch pretty quickly?

Katydids are such an awesome feeder, big and green? How could a cham turn them down!

 

[jannb]

We fed them oak leaves, bramble and romaine. Here’s an old link how we kept them.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/katydid-eggs-are-hatching.84690/

 

[jamest0o0]

We fed them oak leaves, bramble and romaine. Here’s an old link how we kept them.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/katydid-eggs-are-hatching.84690/

Much appreciated. I've been putting dandelion and maple in. Oak is a good idea, seems most insects take to them.