Species
Stock
CLP
541
PSG
371
Culture status
In culture
Foodplants
Hypericum spp.
Hazel (Corylus avellana)
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Breeding notes
(by Bruno Kneubuehler)
General Notes
- 2012 – taxonomical aspects of this species are being examined by
Joachim Bresseel (Belgium) - 2012 – first successful culture by Bruno Kneubuehler (Switzerland)
- 2012 – has been distributed as Necrosciinae sp. „Tam Dao“
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Origin
- Tam Dao, Vietnam
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Females
- hindwings (alae) are very unusually shaped. These are angled laterally (see photos)
- the strutted posture of the hindwings is also uncommon. At first sight they appear to be underdevelopped, but all females have this, even the wild-caught ones
- the shape of wings give the females a rather flat appearance
- about 8.5 – 9 cm
- coloration amongst females is very consistent
- head, antennae, body and legs are mainly bright green
- orange stripe alongside (laterally) the pro- and mesothorax
- white-black stripe alongside (laterally) the forewings (tegmina)
- fine yellow-black stripe alongside (laterally) the hindwings (alae)
- upper and lower surface of the thorax is strongly granulated
- antennae a bit longer than the forelegs
- the membranous part of the hindwings (anal region of the alae) is yellowish and transparent, with yellow veins
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Males
- colorful, typical phasmids
- about 7.5 – 8 cm long
- coloration is very consistent amongst males
- head, thorax, upperside of the wings and upper side of the abdomen is mainly bright green
- white stripe across the eyes
- black-blue stripe alongside (laterally) pro- und mesothorax
- white-black-orange stripe alongside (laterally) the forewings (alae)
- lateral area of hindwings (tegminae) is orange
- lower side of abdomen is orange-brown
- the dark colored antennae are considerably longer than the forelegs
- the membranous part of the hindwings (anal region of the alae) is transparent, with yellow veins
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Nymphs
- lenght (L1) about 14 mm
- coloration (L1) is green
- black cerci and dark antennae tips
- by L4 it is quite easy to draw a distinction between ♀♂ (by the naked eye)
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Eggs
- about 2.5 x 2 mm
- reddish-brown
- hairy
- roundish
- glossy
- distinct capitulum and lid (operculum)
- micropylar plate with clearly visible micropylar pore
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Food Plants
- Hypericum
is very well accepted by freshly hatched nymphs, older nymphs and adults - hazelnut (Corylus avellana)
is very well accepted by older nymphs and adults (has not been tested with freshly hatched nymphs). Hazelnut leaves appear very early in spring, so it is a great alternative to hypericum - bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)
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Behaviour
- if being touched, especially small nymphs behave very hectically. But usually the freeze again after a few steps
- otherwise nymphs as well as adults are rather passive during the day
- males can fly, but their flight is short and they can not fly upwards
- is seems that females can not fly, even though they are fully winged
- matings are mainly during the night and last for some hours at the most
- males do not stay with the same female for a prolonged time
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Developement
- incubation time (HH-incubation on slightly damp sand at 20 - 23 °C) is about 5 – 5.5 months (F1)
- spread some dry (!) moss over the eggs - this will make it much easier for the nymphs to hatch unscathed and it also reduces mould growth to some extend
- hatching ratio (F1) was high (> 50%)
- males will be adult after about 2.5 months (at 20 – 23°C), females after about 3 months
- females start to lay eggs after about 2 – 3 weeks
- eggs just drop to the ground
- about 25 – 30 eggs per female and week
- adults can live for several months
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Breeding Notes
- it is very easy to breed this species, if the food plants are available
- keep the nymphs in a cage with good ventilation, but take care that the humidity does not drop too low
- a constantly wet paper towel on the floor of the cage helps raising humidity
- a humidity level of about 60 – 65 % rH seems to be sufficient
- nymphs can be kept in a Faunabox (or similar cages)
- move nymphs to a bigger cage as they grow bigger
- a cage of 30 x 30 x 30 cm should be provided for some couples of this species (or considerably larger if the cage also contains other species !)
- generally I advise to keep different phasmid species seperately (unfortunately, overcrowed cages are still very common ...)
- I have never sprayed nymphs or adults (or their cage) 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