Genus
Species
Stock
CLP
376
Culture status
In culture
Foodplants
Privet (Ligustrum spp.)
Breeding notes
(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