Phasmedia

07/08/2024

Aren't they beautiful?

These are the females of two species of stick insect, both from the genus Calvisia. The red, black and blue insects are Calvisia kneubuehleri 'D**g Nai' and they come from Vietnam. The bright green and yellow ones are Calvisia marmorata 'Mulu' and they originate from Borneo.

The phasmid genus Calvisia is known for its remarkable species, most of which have magnificent colors. The fact that these stick insects can fly, makes them look even less like the stereotypical image of a "walking stick". They are truly the jewels of the jungle and I would love to breed more of them!

10/07/2024

I'm really proud to share the results of the second Phasmedia x fashion collaboration, this time for and .

These photoshoots once again show me how incredibly versatile phasmids are, as placing them on a model, a handbag or jewelry brings out whole new dimensions of these creatures, which absolutely augments the products as well. At the same time it allows me to share my passion with a very different audience, as I'm sure readers of fashion magazines will be curious about the animals in these pictures 😄.

Communication about the wonderful world of insects is incredibly important and I'm thrilled that I can use this medium as well.

I'm looking forward to the next step in this amazing journey and I can happily say that there are already some new projects in the works. Stay tuned!

Photographer:
Talent:
Art director:
Fashion editor:
Producer & casting director:
Make-Up artist:
Make-Up assistant:
Hair stylist:
Gaffer:
Animal handler:

29/05/2024

The festival was once again a great success! The entomology stand, where I showed a part of my collection, was often almost overrun with curious visitors 😮. So many people wanted to see and learn about our 6-legged friends!

The countless surprised faces and fascinated questions made the loss of my voice and the ability to stand straight absolutely worthwhile 😄.

I'll gladly join my fellow entomology nerds again next year. A huge thanks to , and for making this possible, to Tienne, Fons and Luc for the company and to and for visiting!

17/04/2024

I had a wonderful time at the Spring Festival of last Sunday! The weather was beautiful and so was the venue, which makes it a day I'll never forget ☺️. It was amazing to show my phasmids to and share my passion with so many interested people! There were even some familiar faces that also came to visit last year, but they were still thrilled to see the animals in real life and hear me talk about them non-stop 😄.

This is why I love doing what I do, so thank you again at for making it possible. See you again next year!

02/04/2024

English - Dutch below
I'm absolutely thrilled that for the third year in a row I will be present at the Lentefestival of Trompenburg Tuinen & Arboretum with my stick and leaf insects! Come pay a visit on Sunday 14 april and learn all about these amazing animals. Afterwards you can check out the other activities and take a walk through the garden, to make it a wonderful day.

See you then!

Nederlands:
Ik ben ontzettend blij dat ik voor het derde jaar op rij aanwezig zal zijn op het Lentefestival van Trompenburg Tuinen & Arboretum met mijn wandelende takken en bladeren! Kom langs op zondag 14 april en leer alles over deze geweldige dieren. Om er helemaal een fantastische dag van te maken kun je daarna deelnemen aan de andere activiteiten en wandelen door de prachtige tuin.

Tot dan!

28/03/2024

Male Heteropteryx dilatata appreciation post!
This species is an oldie but goldie for me, I've been breeding it for over 10 years. The females are obviously amazing with their big, bulky bodies, but the males absolutely deserve some love as well.

1. Look at that strong, colorful wing! The contrast with the brown patches and markings on the rest of his body is huge, which no doubt creates a shock effect when he flashes it open if a predator gets too close. And if that doesn't work, he can also use them to make a threatening sound or to fly away. Damn, now I wish I got wings...

2. In all his glory. Butt up, head down, that's how he rolls. One sturdy unit covered with spines and topped off with extra long, flexible antennae. What a flex.

3. This is perhaps my favorite part: the head. It's big, so you can clearly see the eyes, mouth and all the details. Not like those slim stickies with their tiny faces. He looks so sceptical too, I love it. This guy has seen stuff and is done with it.

4. "Are you taking pictures of me? Again? For real? When will you get a real job? 😒".

26/03/2024

Such great news! Another wonderful milestone in the journey of breeding Nanophyllium australianum! Be sure to also click the link in the description to see the beautiful mother of this little cutie.

Lots of excitement at Minibeast Wildlife today! The first completely captive bred generation of Nanophyllium australianum have started to hatch. This precious little nymph has just emerged from its egg and is having its first feed in this pic. Exciting times ahead waiting for more to pop out!

The mother of this little gem is the top one in this post https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=844251771033863&set=pb.100063471429972.-2207520000&type=3 It will be fascinating to see what colour forms this generation brings!

14/03/2024

I couldn't let the stick insects have all the fun, the leafies wanted some magical time with the witch hazels as well 😄.

Even though the witch hazels are no longer in bloom, their bright colors match the arrival of spring here in Belgium and the new life it brings to my phasmid cultures.

Most adults have died during winter, but many nymphs have taken their place. They can soon enjoy the fresh leafs of bramble and oak and grow big and strong! Caring for all those little phasmids is hard work, but it definitely pays off when I can make lots of people happy with them!

14/02/2024

It's a cloudy, rainy and gray Valentine's day here in Belgium, so here's some color and cheer to brighten it up! This festive female Calvisia kneubuehleri 'D**g Nai' wishes you smiles, happiness and of course lots of love with her magical witch hazel branch!

Thanks again for the beautiful Hamamelis!

31/01/2024

A little cryptid on witch hazel..

This adult female Taraxippus samarae 'Siquirres' was the perfect model for this colorful shoot. She didn't mind the pictures and enjoyed a lovely taste of the mysterious witch hazel (Hamamelis) flowers.

Cryptic creatures will play a big part in the Phasmedia story the coming year, exciting plans are being made, but more on that later!

Thank you very much for this collaboration. Be sure to visit the botanical garden and take a look at the witch hazels yourself!

18/01/2024

Every once in a while, something like this pops up in my feed and it always puts a smile on my face to see my content reach a new audience 😍.

09/01/2024

Big stick + beautiful transparent wings = the incredible adult male of Pharnacia ponderosa

03/01/2024

As 2023 ended and 2024 began, I took some time to look back at perhaps the best year in the history of ! Here are some highlights (lots of firsts...!):
1. My first ever successful culture of Pulchriphyllium giganteum
2. A crazy find on the interwebs: my very own Wikipedia page! A special honour I'm very grateful for, clearly I'm doing something right 😆.
3. The yearly spring festival at ! Again a full (green)house, which is the best compliment to my work!
4. My first time at the festival! Shout-out to for organising the entomology stand and for being such a wonderful advocate for insects!
5. My first time as an animal handler on a shoot! I had such an amazing time with .deblauwe.mua . The works speaks for itself...
6. My very own exposition at the ! 9 days of phasmid madness in a castle!
7. The cherry on the pie: animal handling for a shoot with ! My phasmids are in Vogue! Unbelievable...

Let's make 2024 at least as spectacular!

#2023 #2024

25/12/2023

My phasmids and I want to wish you happy holidays, joyful moments with friends and family and a cozy and relaxing ending of 2023. We would also like to thank you for another wonderful year filled with your continuous love and support for Phasmedia. It's heartwarming to experience your interest in and enthousiasm for the incredible world of stick and leaf insects!

Stick with us, we will be back in 2024!

#2023 #2024

12/12/2023

Taraxippus samarae "Siquirres", a beautiful "mossy" phasmid species described in 2020. These Costa Rican stick insects like a humid environment and eat ferns and bramble.
First picture: male nymph
Second picture: female nymph
Third picture: adult female

29/11/2023

Some additional pictures that appeared in the December issue of . These beautiful photographs were shot by as well.

Featured phasmids: Pulchriphyllium giganteum, Phyllium letiranti, Anarchodes annulipes and Extatosoma tiaratum.

19/11/2023

I'm really excited to finally share the results of one of my greatest adventures this year! On the 14th of July I went to Paris for a shoot with !

It was my second time being an animal handler on a shoot, both of those shoots took place in the same week and I was in the midst of writing my thesis. You could say it was a rollercoaster 😆. But I'm so glad I took a break from working and drove my animals to Paris so that they could shine!

My biggest goal with is showing the wonderful world of phasmids to as many people as possible. Preferably in interesting, creative ways. Photoshoots are a perfect medium for this, so I would love to do plenty more in the future!

Thank you for contacting me and inviting me to this amazing opportunity.
And also a big thanks to and the rest of the team for letting my stick and leaf insects be part of such mesmerizing pictures!

08/11/2023

The chemical defense of Autolyca herculeana.

06/10/2023

Only two more days until the phasmid expo at Plantentuin Meise ends, so be sure to come take a look! It's going to be a busy weekend!

https://www.plantentuinmeise.be/en/agenda/400/stick-leaf-insects/phasmedia

04/10/2023

On this I continue the work I love to do most: raising awareness about stick and leaf insects and making people passionate about these amazing cryptic creatures. And who else to place in the spotlights than this majestic female Pharnacia ponderosa? She absolutely steals the show at the current expo at the , and with good reason! The incredible size of this diva blows peoples' minds and there's no sound I'd rather hear when showing people my animals than "wow" 😊.

15/09/2023

This stick insect certainly did not skip leg day!

What you see here is the hind leg of an adult male Eurycantha horrida 'Popondetta', aka the thorny devil walking stick, from Papua New Guinea.

This species definitely breaks the stereotype of stick insects being 'defenseless twigs'. When a predator nears this animal, it will spread out the hind legs as a warning. If the attacker then comes even closer, the phasmid will pinch as hard as it can. The strength of this stick insect is phenomenal and it can absolutely push the large spine on its legs through flesh, causing a bleeding wound.

Luckily, I've never been harmed by this species and when handling them gently they rarely show aggressive behavior. However, some males resort to violence more easily and therefore caution is always advised.

Fun fact: the males' legs are used as fishing hooks in its country of origin.

13/09/2023

I'm really excited to announce that another phasmid expo will start soon! From Saturday 30 September until Sunday 8 October, my phasmids will live in the and I will be present to answer all your questions about my mysterious pets!

Hope to see you there!

More info on the website: https://www.plantentuinmeise.be/en/agenda/400/walking-sticks-and-leaves/phasmedia