Genus
Species
Stock
Culture status
In culture
Foodplants
Bramble (Rubus spp.)
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
Hazel (Corylus avellana)
Breeding notes
(by Bruno Kneubuehler)
General Informations
- provenience: Khun Korn waterfalls near Chiang Rai (Amphoe Mueang Chiang Rai, Thailand)
- taxonomic evaluation by Joachim Bresseel (BE)
- F1 CB culture in 2017 by Bruno Kneubuehler (CH)
- further taxonomical informations ➤ Phasmida Species Files
- this is a pure culture, and all serious breeders are kindly requested to avoid mixing this culture with similar populations from a different provenience / location. When spreading this culture to other breeders, then always use the full name with provenience
- this culture has not yet any CLP number (Online Phasma Culture List)
Females
- medium-sized phasmids
- body length ≈ 10 - 11 cm
- females coloration rather similar across individuals, some are darker while others are lighter colored
- even adult females are extraordinarily well camouflaged in their resting position
Males
- body length ≈ 6 - 6,55 cm
- few individuals are rather dark colored
Nymphs
- newly hatched nymphs are dark brown
- especially older nymphs have an astounding camouflage in their resting position
- on how to distinguish between male and female nymphs
Eggs
- ≈ 3.5 x 2 mm
Food Plants
- bramble (Rubus spp.)
well accepted by nymphs and adults
in spring the do not really like neither the old bramble leaves nor the very fresh new leaves - Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
well accepted, and a good alternative in spring - hazelnut (Corylus avellana)
quite well accepted, an alternative in spring - other possible food plants (not tested though):
oak (Quercus spp.)
Breeding, Behaviour
- easy to breed
- just in spring, when they get fussy about the bramble, the food plant situation can be a bit more tricky
- active mainly during the night
- usually they feign death when touched
- but some adult males can also behave quite frantically when being touched
- offer them a lot of barky twigs in their cage, as they hide out and rest on twigs during the day
- older nymphs and also the adult females have an astounding camouflage
- a defensive spray has not been observed
- females fling the eggs away with a swift swing of their abdomen
- eggs just drop to the ground
- about 15 - 25 eggs per female and week
- incubation (Cup-Incubation-method, on medium damp vermiculite) about 4 - 6 months at 20 - 24 °C
- it is quite common that some phasmid nymphs will hatch weeks or even months after the first nymphs - from the very same batch of eggs
- eggs can be covered with vermiculite (about 5 mm high), which makes it easier for the nymphs to hatch without getting stuck in the eggs shell
- eggs of this species are not prone to get mouldy
- nymphs hatch during the night)
- a humidity of about 65 - 75 % rH seems to be good enough for nymphs and adults
- one can spray them regularly with chlorine-free water, but allow the water to dry up before spraying again
- small nymphs can be kept in a Faunabox (or a similar cage), which shall not be too small
- provide a cage of about 30 x 30 x 30 (cm, L x B x H) for 3 adult couples
- males will be adult after 4 - 5 months (at 20 - 24°C), females after 5 - 6 months