Megaphasma denticrus "Lafayette"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Notes

• Stål (1875) first described this species as Diapheromera denticrus
• synonym: M. dentricus (Beamer, 1932)
• 2011 - eggs imported and bred by Bruno Kneubühler and some other European breeders

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Origin

• Lafayette (Louisina, USA) 

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Females

• medium sized phasmids
• about 13 - 14 cm long
• very glossy surface
• green and olive-brown areas
• segment joints of the abdomen are reddish-brown
• numerous robust and black spines on the lower side of thighs of the mid and hind legs (meso- and metafemora)
• thighs of the mid legs are stronger developed
• antennae are about the same length as the fore legs
• no wings

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Males

• medium sized phasmids too
• about 11 cm
• very glossy surface
• main colour is a strong green and a light or reddish brown
• green on the lower side is darker
• thighs of the fore legs with light blue-green
• lower side of the thighs of mid and hind legs (meso- and metafemora) are red
• segment joints are reddish-brown marked-off
• thighs of the  mid and hind legs are strongly built
• a strongly built, black and outwards curved spine on each thigh of the mid and hind legs (distal end)
• antennae are a bit longer than the fore legs
• no wings

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Nymphs (L1)

• about 17 mm
• green
• light brown eyes
• antennae slightly shorter than the forelegs
• it is possible to differentiate ♀♂ in L1
• by L2, some nymphs have reddish leg joints
• by L3, ♂ have bigger cerci than the ♀

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Eggs

• about 4.5 x 2 mm
• dark brown with lighter, almost white areas
• the lid (capitulum) has a reddish-brown, filigree structure
• fine hairs around the lid
• microphylar plate is almost white with a dark dot
• microphylar plate is surrounded by a light brown edging

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Food Plants

• nymphs feed and grow very well on bramble (Rubus sp.)
• adult males also feed well bramble (Rubus sp.)
• adult female feed on bramble (Rubus sp.), but they prefer beech (Fagus sylvatica) or oak (Quercus sp.)

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Behaviour

• nymphs are not really active, though they might try to escape when being touched
• adult specimens are sometimes also active during the day, especially the males
• adult specimens, especially the males, try to escape when being grabbed
• males hassle the females often and strongly - therefore I keep them in a seperate cage and put them only for a few days every 3 - 4 weeks in the cage with the females
• male mature after about 2.5 - 3 months, females after about 3 - 3.5 months
• females start to lay eggs after about 2 - 3 weeks
• eggs are just dropped to the ground
• about 15 eggs per female and week
• matings can be observed frequently, but they last only for some hours

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Breeding Notes

• an easy to breed and astonishingly beautiful species
• incubation with the HH-incubation method (on slightly damp sand) yields a good hatching ratio
• some moss spread over the eggs reduces mould growth and strongly facilitates successful hatching
• incubation time at room temperatures (20 - 23°C) is about 6 months
• incubation time can also be up to 1.5 years (thanks to Piero Latini, Italy)
• hatching ratio was high (50+ %)
• keep the nymphs in a cage with good ventilation
• take care that the humidity does not drop too low
• a constantly wet paper towel on the floor of the cage helps raising humidity
• nymphs and adults can be kept in a Faunabox (or similar cages)
• move nymphs to a bigger cage as they grow bigger
• I have never sprayed nymphs or adults with water
• make shure that nymphs, which are about to undergo their adult moult, do not find places in the cage which would not offer them enough space beneath to moult successfully