Diapheromera femorata nymphs not eating

[emethzoo]

Have some diapheromera femorata nymphs hatching out. Have tried them on fresh raspberry leaves, previously frozen raspberry, English ivy, even romaine lettuce - just can't get them to eat. In the past, I have kept nymphs with a sub-adult to help eat the edges - but I only have nymphs right now - now adults.

I've tried cutting the edges of the leaves a bit - still no love.

Any suggestions? It is winter here in Canada - so I'm somewhat limited in other sources to try. (I have a pot of raspberry plants growing indoors.)

 

[Dry Desert]

Have some diapheromera femorata nymphs hatching out. Have tried them on fresh raspberry leaves, previously frozen raspberry, English ivy, even romaine lettuce - just can't get them to eat. In the past, I have kept nymphs with a sub-adult to help eat the edges - but I only have nymphs right now - now adults.

I've tried cutting the edges of the leaves a bit - still no love.

Any suggestions? It is winter here in Canada - so I'm somewhat limited in other sources to try. (I have a pot of raspberry plants growing indoors.)

Apparently newly born nymphs prefer leaves of the Hazelnut Tree, or Oak.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

D. femorata prefer to eat oak as they grow larger but they're more commonly found on hazelnut or wild cherry as young nymphs (I've personally found hatchlings on wild cherry several times).

If you still have more eggs that haven't hatched, I would put the remaining eggs in an unheated room or refrigerator which will hopefully make them go dormant until spring when there are more leaves available.

Otherwise, if you can identify some suitable plants like cherry or hazelnut outside, taking some branches indoors and putting them in a vase of water may cause them to sprout leaves that the nymphs can eat, though I'm not sure how well this will work to provide a consistent source of leaves over the coming months unless you can get them to switch to raspberry.