Anisomorpha buprestoides "Ocala"

(by Bruno Kneubühler)

General notes

• originally described by Stoll (1823) as Phasma buprestoides
• here you can download a great scientific article about the different colour forms of Anisomorpha buprestoides by Conle, Hennemann and Dossey:
  esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/content/esa/aesa/2009/00000102/00000002/art00005
• A. buprestoides "Ocala" ist the black'n'white colour form which naturally occurs in the area of the Ocala National Forest (Florida, USA)

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Females

• sturdy insects - about 8 cm long
• black and white striped - with many small white dots all over the black areas (especially on the legs)
• it is possible that few specimens occur which are slightly brownish coloured - instead of the white stripes
• shiny surface
• antennae are longer than the forelegs

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Males

• slender insects - about 5 cm long
• colouration is the same like in the females
• antennae longer than forelegs

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Eggs

• about 3 x 2 mm
• basic colour (of the dry eggs) is grey, with more or less darker spots
• rough-textured surface

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Food plants

• oak (Quercus spp.)
  verschiedene Arten, natürlich Futterpflanze
• privet (Ligustrum spp.)
• plantain (Plantago spp.)
• rhododendron
• lonicera (Lonicera nitida)
• salal (Gaultheria shallon)
• bramble (Rubus spp.)
  just a little bit

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Breeding notes

• for my culture I have used only black'n'white striped specimens
• incubation on very slightly damp, no problem if it gets dry sometimes
• incubation time (at around 20 to 22 °C) is about 3 to 4 months
• their natural habitat in Florida is described as being quite dry. Therefore I was keeping them without a wet or damp paper towel on the cage floor, and I did not spray them with water. They still moulted without any problems
• nymphs are brown with many tiny whitish spots
• males take about 2,5 months to get adult, females about 3,5 months
• adult males will occupy young females which are only in their 5th instar and will have to go through another two moults. But these females will have no problems to moult, even with their males firmly attached to them
• one can not detach the males from their females, they are very firmly attached with their with a clasperous organ. They do not give up the female willingly. Detaching the male by sheer force will most probably injure the male badly
• but sometimes males forget to let go the empty skin of a freshly moulted female. Until they find out that the empty skin is no more as tempting as the female once was, another male has already occupied the female
• males which have already occupied a female will struggle excitedly when another male approaches or even touches them
• this species is also quite often active during the day
• in nature females will dig shallow cavities in sand with their fore legs, then lay some eggs into it and cover them with sand again. Provide them with a container with sand, and they will show this behaviour
• this species can spray a white defensive liquide from glands just behind the head. Therefore one should be careful when handling them, not put them directly before one's eyes, and wash the hands afterwards. If any of the liquide gets into the eyes it will give a burning sensation for about 15 minutes

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References

• Phasmida Species Files  (www.phasmida.orthoptera.org)