Sub Family: Heteropteryginae

Foodplant in captivity: Mostly bramble (Rubus spp.), plus mango (Mangifera indica), Pyracanthia spp., Oak (Quercus spp.)

Humidity requirements: As is typical of the Heteropteryginae, this species demands a high level of humidity.  I keep them in a tank that has glass walls on all sides and fine plastic mesh on the lid.  The tank is misted daily with a lot of warm water.

Comment: A very popular, large and stunning sexually dimorphic species.  This species is not for beginners since it demands quite specific levels of humidity, and the lifecycle is one of the longest of all phasmids (ova can take up to 18 months to hatch).  Adult males are mainly brown, with plum-coloured hindwings, and adult females are apple-green (occasionally  yellow-coloured).  A fairly large species - adult males 10-12cm head to end of abdomen, females up to 15cm from head to abdomen.

The adult female needs to lay her ova in damp substrate, which can be compost, vermiculite, perlite or sand.  I haven't had any success is getting the ova to hatch out, and I am wondering if this might have anything to do with the culture of woodlice that have taken up residence amongst the substrate(!)

Defence tactics: This species is not that easy to handle, and is thus not suitable for beginners.  Adults in particular have a tendency to 'attack' any potential predators with their spiny hind legs which are quite capable of piercing human skin; the species must therefore be handled with care.  If a stick insect does try to pinch your hand, the best thing is not to move or try to pick the insect off - it will only grip for one or two seconds, and any resulting injury to your hand will be nothing more than a pin-prick!