Cryptophyllium icarus "Bidoup Nui Ba"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Informations

• provenience: Bidoup Nui Ba NP (Vietnam)
• taxonomic evaluation by Joachim Bresseel (Belgium)
• F1 CB culture by Bruno Kneubuehler (2014 / 2015)
• further taxonomical informations ➤ phasmida.speciesfile.org
• this is a pure culture, and serious breeders will avoid mixing it with cultures of a different provenience

Females

• medium sized Phyllium species
• body length 8 - 8.5 cm
• green
• some females have reddish-brown patches and lines

Males

• body length 6 - 6.5 cm
• light green

Nymphs

• coloration of these nymphs are distinctively different from nymphs of other Phyllium species
• 16 mm
• freshly hatched nymphs are dark brown (legs, head, pro- and mesothorax) and red (metathorax, abdomen)
• on how to easily distinguish between male and female nymphs

Eggs

• 5 x 3 mm
• brown
• suface looks furry

Food Plants

• bramble (Rubus spp.)
  well accepted by nymphs and adults

Breeding, Behaviour

• active mainly during the night
• they feign death when touched
• adult males drop to the ground quickly, when they feel threatened
• eggs just drop to the ground
• about 10 - 15 eggs per female and week
• incubation (HH-method on slightly damp sand) about 3.5 - 4.5 months at 20 - 23 °C
• eggs of this species are very prone to get mouldy (like eggs of many Phyllium species), and it is difficult to avoid this. Yet a thin mould layer does not affect the hatching ratio negatively
• nymphs hatch during the night
• a humidity of about 60 - 70 % seems to be good enough for this species
• the Free-Standing-Setup is very much recommened for small nymphs
• this Phyllium species should be kept in an airy cage (ventilator) too and get a lot of light
• one can spray them regularly with chlorine-free water, but the water should dry up again
• easy to breed in my experience

Basics of phasmids breeding

• keep only one species per cage, overpopulation is one of the main reasons for breeding failures
• keep nymphs seperate from the adults
• choose the cage big enough, and when in doubt it is (usually) better to choose a bigger cage than a too small one
• a ventilator often supports good breeding results
• provide enough light, but avoid direct sunlight (overheating)
• try to keep temperatures below 25°C
• a nocturnal fall of temperature is healty for the phasmids
• do not spray too much, phasmids are no fish ! The spray should dry up before you spray again
• minimize disturbances (loud music, commotions, light at or during the night, ect.) minimal