I have two large enclosures for adult Eurycantha horrida, a breeding set up downstairs with three females and a single male and this bachelor pad upstairs. I keep the two well apart as the males are quite calm around each other until they sense the presence of a female and then it's war.
Tonight I decided to switch the male with another and I've been observing the behaviour upstairs. The male that has been with the females is still trying to defend his territory and is patroling the enclosure, thumping his abdomen to announce this before actively seeking out and attacking his rivals. He does this by crawling on top of them and biting their front legs until they recoil backwards into range of the pinching rear legs and dagger sharp thorns.
Nobody has been harmed yet and if they can't keep out of the aggressor's way until he's calmed down then I'll remove him for a few days.
I've so far collected 300 eggs and should have nymphs soon.
Eurycantha horrida (thorny devil stick insect)
Papua New Guinea
I think Mecapoda are liking this hot weather! 🦗😅
Have you ever seen a stick insect with an itchy back? I have now...
The katydid in the background is Mecapoda, still practising and now starting to sound like a faulty starter motor 🦗
Eurycantha horrida
At home all day yesterday due to rain and a stinking cold from Sundays show, I managed to still be productive.
This is a project I started a few weeks ago. By removing all of the drawers from the chest I've gained space for three more large phasmid enclosures plus a bonus desk top!
Of course, nothing is ever simple so all of the lighting had to be re done but well worth it I hope you agree 👌🏻
Finished pictures in comments...
Edit: for the benefit of anyone reading this after April 1st, the information here may not be 100% truthful 😂
Siliquofera grandis are far more intelligent animals than most people realize.
The nymphs in this communal have worked out how to open the enclosure and frequently pop out to wave at me when I pass or am working on show prep on the floor below 👋🏻
They've even fine tuned the poop kicking behaviour we all find so amusing to the point where I've witnessed them playing mini games of football among themselves with an acorn! ⚽
Isn't nature unbelievable! 😲😉
Three adults now, all girls, no men required. Let's make some babies 🌿😀
I'll be bringing lots of Phyllium phylippinicum and P. tobeloense to the show on Sunday. It will be exciting to have these too by the end of the Summer 🤞🏻
Pulchriphyllium giganteum - Giant Malaysian leaf insect
I'm sorry, did I get your head wet 😅☔
Listen with sound and you can hear Phyllomimus katydids in the background 🌿🦗
Patience is paying off and these are finally reaching a good size. I love Phyllium tobeloense for their autumn colours but these are still my favourite leafies 🌿
Pulchriphyllium giganteum - Giant Malaysian leaf insect
So why are they called hissing cockroaches?
*Volume up*
Elliptorhina javanica - Halloween hisser (Madagascar)
I suppose there's more than one way to eat a fly 🪰
Eremiaphila sp - Desert sand runner mantis (broken)
Assassin bug feeding night is hard to beat for entertainment. In hindsight though I feel the soundtrack (courtesy of Radio One) was a little mellow for the great cricket massacre 😆
Watch for the lightning fast kill centre screen at 1.01
Psytalla horrida - Giant spiny assassin bugs
I've been potting up Assassin bugs tonight for Bristol and despite the disturbance this girl has been laying all evening. First she drills her abdomen into the substrate then deposits an egg or maybe two, I'm not sure, before using her hind legs to cover over the hole.
They really are amazing to watch and being communal is a bonus ♥️🖤
Anyway, bedtime... insects can be such a distraction 😬😅
Psytalla horrida - Giant spiny assassin bug
The air movement from a fan often leads to increased activity and can help to initiate mating behaviour. It worked very quickly here tonight in securing the third confirmed Pseudacanthops pairing 👌🏻🎉
Two ways to minimize losses through cannibalism in a Gongy communal set up are to keep only similar sized individuals together and ensure a plentiful food supply. I like the last one as feeding time is the best! 😎
Gongylus gongylodes - Wandering violin mantis
