Stick Insect Collecting today

[CarlC]

Had a good day collecting. Found 3 mating pairs and 2 single females. Only in the cage a few hours and have ova already. The species is Diapheromera femorata

Carl

 

[maxttu]

Very neat! How do you locate them?

 

[mhfan305]

Strange, where can you find these guys? Are they good chameleon feeders?

 

[coldbloodedAL]

Nice!! Now, If I may ask.. How do you go about looking for stick insects?

I've been out several times looking for some and ended up empty handed. Seems like I only run into them when I am NOT looking for them haha

 

[mhfan305]

Seems like I only run into them when I am NOT looking for them haha

I found one about 5 months ago under the hood of my car lol!

 

[coldbloodedAL]

I found one about 5 months ago under the hood of my car lol!

SEE! Its not only me! lol

 

[fluxlizard]

Do native sticks live through winter if kept indoors?

 

[CarlC]

Funny thing is I was out looking for mantids. I've been collecting them from the same area for about the last 15 years. No special tricks for locating them. After you find a few it is a lot easier. Don't look to close at the plant. Look at the overall plant and they will stand out. I got this group in about 15 minutes.

Yes they make excellent chameleon food through out their life stages. I have never found them feeding on anything other then oak and bramble. I have only been able to get hatchlings to eat bramble. Ova need a diapause to hatch.

This time of year the coloration of both sex's is darker (last instar). The middle section of the males 6 legs is green. A hook is present on the males legs that is used in mating and fighting. The females are an overall brown to tan. Both sex's are a light green or tan color up until the last instar. The easiest place to find them now is on scrub oak and bramble usually no more then a few feet off the ground. Here are pictures of each sex.
Male

Female

 

[CarlC]

Males usually die before females. Females produce a large amount of ova and usually die after a month or so from when they start dropping ova.

I'll post pictures of the ova in the morning. Lights are out in the chameleon room now.

Carl

 

[CarlC]

Here is a pic of the ova. They are pretty small. Once all the females die I'll put all the ova in the fridge for a two month diapause. After the diapause they get put on moist vermiculite in a deli cup. The cup sits in a closet until hatching which usually takes 1-3 months. The babies will start eating after a few days to one week. Make sure you have food plants ready. The preferred first food is older large bramble leaves.

Carl

 

[kgallego]

But where did you find them? Geographically? USA? Europe? Closest City?

I would sure love to find some myself, but I have no idea where to even look.

Thanks!

 

[CarlC]

They are native to like 1/2 of north America. I catch mine not far from Hamburg Pennsylvania.

Carl

 

[kgallego]

They are native to like 1/2 of north America. I catch mine not far from Hamburg Pennsylvania.

Carl

Thanks for the info...that's a long long ways from California, lol.

 

[CarlC]

You have species out there just as suitable. Here are a couple to look into
Parabacillus Hesperus and Timema sp.(10+species)

Carl

 

[kgallego]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Cait0420]

I've never seen theese before, the closest thing I've seen would be praying mantis. Are there any around in ontario?

 

[tony19]

We do have stick bugs in Ontario but there pretty hard to find

 

[CarlC]

Yes Caitlin you have this species. I don't even waste my time trying to locate them until fall when they come lower to the ground to breed.

Carl

 

[Cait0420]

Yes Caitlin you have this species. I don't even waste my time trying to locate them until fall when they come lower to the ground to breed.

Carl

Ok cool thanks Carl

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Neat wild caught insects species Carl! Breeding colonies of wild caught insects is an underrated and under used resources. I have been working with two species of Schistocerca.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich