Phyllium hausleithneri "Tapah Hills"

(by Olivier Salord, Bruno Kneubuehler)
 

General Notes

• provenience: Tapah Hills, Peninsular Malaysia
• 2011: successful culture by Olivier Salord (FR)
• 2016: fresh culture by Bruno Kneubuehler (CH)

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Females

• green with reddish to brown spots on the whole body for most of the females
• some specimens are almost entirely green
• size is about 8 cm, with only very flimsy variations between the different specimens
• on the other hand, different females will show a variety of shapes. Some showing rather straight, spear-like abdomens. But others have more or less pronounced lobes along the edges of the final abdominal segments, making them look similar to Ph. jacobsoni and Ph. philippinicum
• a pair of fore wings cover the abdomen almost completly
• a pair of tiny vestigial, withered, elytrons, is visible under the wings
• antennae are about 3 mm long
• coxae (the membrane by which the legs are attached to the abdomen) are deep blue

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Males

• typically spear-like shaped
• with fully developped wings - making it possible for them to fly easily
• size is about 6 cm
• antennae are about 3.5 cm long
• coxae (the membranes by which the legs are attached to the abdomen) are deep blue

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Eggs

• about 5 x 3 m
• compact when fresly laid
• they get their typically hairy appearance when they remain for a few minutes in a moisty environment
• but once they are stored in a dry environment again, they tend to stick to any material that they had previously been in contact with when wet
• they show an amazing variety of colours, ranging from pink to dark brown

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Food Plants

• the following food plants have been accepted:
  Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
  bramble (Rubus sp.)
  oak (Quercus sp., summer green)
  evegreen oak (Quercus ilex)
  hazelnut (Corylus avellana)
  beech (Fagus sylvatica)

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Behaviour

• young males and females as well as sub-adult specimens will spray an orange-like smelling substance when being handled

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Breeding Notes

• not an easy species to breed, as first-instar nymphs and some adult, egg-bound females sometimes die without any obvious reason
• incubation using the "on-a-net-over-wet sand" method
• incubation time is 3.5 to 4 months at 25° C
• high hatching ratio, close to 90%
• broad daylight and moisture tend to stimulate hatchings
• newly-hatched nymphs seem to enjoy daylight for their first week
• newly-born nymphs often die, if they hatch between October and April.  To avoid that, supply them with a source of artificial lighting 12 hours/day (any type of bulb will do fine), and keep them at a constant temperature ranging between 23°C-25°C
• by L2-L3, they can be kept at room temperature (18°C-21°C), and the light will no longer be necessary
• they also like to drink out of small droplets
• males grow up in about 4 months, females in about 5 months
• the females' lifespan is about 5 - 6 months
• females start laying eggs after about 2 - 3 weeks
• they will lay hundreds of eggs
• eggs are just dropped to the ground
• males will live for 3 - 4 months, and mate easily
• adults must be kept in a roomy enclosure - to prevent them from gnawing each other