BoyFromLA’s Assassin Bugs Diary

[BoyFromLA]

07/28/2019

From now on I will dedicate this post to continue update my Psytalla horrida colony whenever there are things to add.



And for today, I rehoused my initial four nymphs to larger, and more suitable enclosure with enough ventilation holes, and with the coco fiber mat hide. Why so large enclosure with only four nymphs? It’s because in two weeks more nymphs will be arrived from @jseng.



After rehousing I watched them hunt for Blatta lateralis nymphs.

 

[jseng]

Awesome, that looks like a perfect enclosure for a larger sized colony of P. horrida! Although I disassembled my adult enclosure, it looked a lot like this: I had a 10 gallon aquarium with dry cocofiber substrate, plus a few chunks of extra large cork round tube and a slab of cork board placed diagonally against the wall of the enclosure to provide a good molting surface and hide for them. Just make sure to keep their enclosure dry (no water dish, no misting, and no need to keep the substrate damp) and well ventilated, plus provide them with lots of food, and you'll be well on your way toward providing an ideal environment for your horrida to thrive in. If you send me your email address, I'll shoot you my personal care sheet with all you'll ever need to know to raise horrida successfully, but please also feel totally free to write me anytime if you have any care questions or issues later on down the line.

~Josh

 

[BoyFromLA]

08/07/2019

A handful of Psytalla horrida nymphs from @jseng, with variety sizes arrived, and arrived well.

They are now added to my Psytalla horrida enclosure, and they are on hunting sprees.

 

[BoyFromLA]

05/05/2021

After almost two years later, I am bringing back this thread to life.

Yes, I still have total seven Psytalla horrida alive and well, five matured ones and two almost matured ones.

In the corner of my colony’s enclosure, I just spotted a dozen so of eggs rolling around, and this is very exciting.

Once these eggs are hatched eventually, and hopefully, I will again constantly update for my future third generations.

 

[BoyFromLA]

05/09/2021

Love is still in the air, the breeding season is not yet over. More eggs will be expected soon.

 

[BoyFromLA]

05/15/2021

Since I planned to keep soon to be born nymphs, and remaining seven adults all together, I rehoused them all into another enclosure.

This enclosure only has top opening, thus I do not have to worry about tiny nymphs escape through the slim side gap of the front door hinge.



I then picked up all the visible eggs, tossed into new enclosure. While doing so, one of the female came around and laid more eggs.







Now, this is very important. What are visible egg counts in my eyes are just a tip of an iceberg. I poured out substrates little by little then I sift through all till there is no remaining substrates.





This process took about an hour to do so. What I found were, eggs hidden in substrates, way more than I thought it would be, about forty of them more or less.





This is the very reason why you should not just throw away any substrates you used for your Psytalla horrida or any other assassin bugs family. Intentionally or unintentionally, you will release these bugs into the wild, that maybe harmful to other native animals around you.

Over all, I ended up way more eggs I previously expected, and I am very happy about it. Also the remaining matured males, and females are still breeding, laying eggs. In the end, my new generation of Psytalla horrida will be very plentiful.

 

[BoyFromLA]

05/19/2021

I will be expecting lots and lots and lots of nymphs, and I am not kidding. I think my Psytalla horrida assassin bugs rather want to be called love bugs instead.





Incoming more eggs soon, very soon.

 

[BoyFromLA]

05/25/2021

Yay, it’s finally here. It’s the first born of my third generation of Psytalla horrida. Many, and many more will come soon, hopefully.

 

[jc55]

They are an interesting looking insect and look like very efficient hunters.I was curious if there is a limit as to how many you can have in one enclosure or is it more based on keeping them well fed to how they cohabitate in larger numbers.

 

[BoyFromLA]

I was curious if there is a limit as to how many you can have in one enclosure or is it more based on keeping them well fed to how they cohabitate in larger numbers.

Many sellers keep them in a large bin with over hundreds, nymphs & adults altogether. Though I will not be able to do that. Certainly I will keep the numbers in control.

 

[jc55]

ok so they can be kept in large numbers then,I will say they are really a cool looking insect and probably one of the bad azzes of the insect world and thanks for answering my question.

 

[BoyFromLA]

06/03/2021

Freshly newborn nymphs are being added / spotted everyday. So far there are roughly about twenty or so nymphs are scattered within the enclosure. Today, nymphs had their first feeding / hunting, and it was so fun watching them throughout the process.

 

[Grayman1984]

About how big is your enclosure and will you be rehousing into a larger one soon?

 

[BoyFromLA]

About how big is your enclosure and will you be rehousing into a larger one soon?

Current enclosure size is 10x10x10, and I do not have any plan for rehousing till all the newborn nymphs mature.

 

[BoyFromLA]

06/06/2021

After dropping roughly about hundred of Blatta lateralis nymphs into the enclosure, majority of Psytalla horrida nymphs are fatten up quite well. Soon they will molt, and will get larger!

 

[BoyFromLA]

06/12/2021

Slowly, but surely, one or two nymphs are continuously adding to the current numbers. I already can tell some nymphs already got into their 2nd insta.

It’s almost time to decide what to do with them all.

 

[BoyFromLA]

06/13/2021

This baby booming will last much longer than I initially expected.

One of female laid this many eggs just for today morning.

 

[BoyFromLA]

06/17/2021

Now you can see handful of nymphs turned into 2nd insta. Growing in sizes, and numbers everyday. Also still many freshly laid eggs on ground waiting to be hatched.

Third generation of Psytalla horrida is huge success.

 

[BoyFromLA]

06/27/2021

When I thought breeding season is over, after getting so many nymphs already, answer is clearly no.

It is still going on. More eggs incoming it looks like.

 

[BoyFromLA]

06/28/2021

Now, there are more 2nd insta than 1st insta. They are surely growing, and growing fast.