Sub Family: Diapherominae

Foodplant in captivity: various fern species, including "Birds Nest Fern" (Asplenium nidus) and "Boston Fern" (Nephroleptis exexaltata), plus a plethora of wild-growing ferns such as Asplenium anceps, Asplenium scolopendrium and others.  It is thought that bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) contains toxins that are harmful to phasmids; however, during the summer months I often use this as the sole foodplant for my O. peruana, without any problems.

The main problem regarding food for this species is the absence of wild-growing ferns in Britain during the winter months (October to March).  One should prepare for this by buying a number of indoor ferns at the beginning of the year.  These must not have been sprayed with pesticides (ask your supplier), and should be nonetheless repotted immediately in fresh compost to avoid any traces of previously-used pesticides.

Humidity requirements: O. peruana is native to the floors of the Peruvian rainforests, and thus thrives in very high humidity levels (though beware of unhealthy mould and mildew forming in the tank).  I keep this species in a glass tank (45cm x 15cm x 15cm), that has a plastic mesh lid.  I daily spray the leaves with a liberal amount of warm water, taking care not to drown the small nymphs.  If I have to leave the tank unattended for a few days, I cover the lid with cling film to keep in the humidity.  Note: I have found that the ova of O. peruana, unlike those of many other species, do not seem to be susceptible to mould.

Comment: This is a very popular species, due to the colour of the adults: females are an orange-yellow colour, whereas males are a fantastic bright red-pink colour. The nymphs are yellow with black longitudinal stripes, and yellow 'knees'.  Male and female nymphs can be distinguished apart by the 'bump' that is visible on the underside of the end of the abdomen.  At the penultimate instar, the red colour is visible through the chitin of the male.  The species is apterous, and both males and females have incredibly long antennae.  They use this to feel their environment, presumably because it is so dark on the floors of the Peruvian rainforests.

One notable thing about this species is their short life-cycle: the disc-shaped ova hatch after 3-4 months, and the nymphs mature to colourful adults within about 4-5 months.  This rapid growth is perhaps more noticeable than in most phasmid species, since O. peruana tend to leave their discarded exuvia over the floor of the tank, as opposed to eating them.

Defence tactics: When handled, this species emits a white liquid from the upper ventral side of the thorax.  This apparently contains quinoline (CAS# 91-22-5), a chemical that is dangerous in large quantities, and said to be a carcinogen.  For this reason people may wish to handle the species infrequently, wash hands immediately after contact, and refrain from allowing children to handle the species.  I do not know the real risk of handling O. peruana - I personally do try to handle the species minimally and wash my hands immediately on touching the insects, but this is more because I dislike the odour of their chemical defence.