Stick insect collecting

[CarlC]

Its that time of the year again to collect the local species of stick insect. Today was a pretty good day. I collected 53 in about a hour.

Carl

 

[deerharvester]

Hi carl, I see you are in pa. Do you keep and breed your collected insects or just feed them. This is very intriguing, if you could share some of the types that you collected.

Thanks
Scott

 

[CarlC]

Hi carl, I see you are in pa. Do you keep and breed your collected insects or just feed them. This is very intriguing, if you could share some of the types that you collected.

Thanks
Scott

In PA we only have one very common species, Diapheromera femorata. The first picture is a pair. The second is a female and the third is a pair.

I collect them this time of the year because as adults they come lower to the ground. Earlier in the year they are found in the canopy of oak tree's. In the fall they come down to the smaller scubby oaks and bramble to mate and drop ova. The easiest collecting places are along country roads that go through oaks forests. Along the road you find the smaller scubby oaks and lots of bramble. I,m sure there are other host plants but these are the easiest to find them on.

I collect them really to just hatch the ova in the spring. Each female will give around 20 ova a week. As adults they are too large for the species I keep. The werneri might be able handle a smaller male. This collection is for a friend. She won't be able to pick them up for a couple of weeks so I'll collect the ova until they leave. She is feeding melleri and pardalis.

While I am holding them I'll feed them wine berry and raspberry. I clip stems and put the stems in a cup of water. They will last a few days.

Carl

 

[deerharvester]

Thanks for the info, I might just give it a shot.

Thanks
Scott

 

[zlew]

I've heard that there is a species of stick insect that is made up of only females and can reproduce without a male. Have you ever heard anything about that?

 

[CarlC]

I think indians are parthenogenic. Some of the phillium species might be also.

Carl

 

[inlinefourpower]

I'm curious if my chameleon would figure this out or if the stick camouflage would make the stick bug invisible... A battle royale.

 

[kdc5019]

I'm curious if my chameleon would figure this out or if the stick camouflage would make the stick bug invisible... A battle royale.

Chameleons love these guys! Its a no contest lol

 

[inlinefourpower]

I might have to poke around the woods. Anyone know what time of year they come down from the trees around southeast Michigan? I live in the woods but it might be a touch colder than the op's location.

 

[CarlC]

I find the most after the first frost which was pretty early this year.

Carl