Mithrenes sp. "Negros"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Notes

• the taxonomic position of this species is subject to current research by Joachim Bresseel (Belguim)
• 2009 - first successful culture by Bruno Kneubuehler
• 2010 - distributed to other breeders as Mithrenes sp. "Negros"

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Origin

• Mt. Kanlaon and Mt. Mandalagan (two volcanos in nothern Negros, Philippines)

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Females

• very typical stick insects
• about 10 - 10,5 cm long
• upper body side is green
• underside is green-brown, brown or brown-black
• long antennae
• no spines
• wingless

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Males

• very typical stick insects too
• about 8 cm long
• body is coloured red-brown
• head and legs are brown
• long antennae
• no spines
• wingless

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Nymphs (L1)

• yellow-green coloured
• antennae with white tips

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Eggs

• irregularely shaped, typical for the genus Mithrenes
• about 3 x 2 mm
• mottled with different brown shades

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Food Plants

• they feed very well on Privet (Ligustrum sp.)
• no other food plant has been accepted

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Defensive Behaviour

• if they feel threatened, they just freeze
• they do not display an active flight

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Breeding Notes

• actually an easy species, but their specific food requirements make their culture a bit more complicated
• incubation with the HH-method or on damp (not too wet) sand, with springtails to reduce mould growth
• incubation time at room temperatures (20 - 23°C) is about 5 - 6 months
• hatching ratio has been rather low (about 30 %) for 2 generations
• mortality of the nymphs is low
• 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 bottom of the cage helps raising humidity
• nymphs and adults can be kept in a Faunabox (or similar cage)
• 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
• males will be adult after about 3 months (at 20 - 23°C), females after 4 - 4,5 months
• females start to lay eggs after about 3 - 4 weeks
• about 10 eggs are laid per female and per week
• eggs are just dropped to the ground