Heteropteryx dilatata

[edesign]

Someone sent me these pictures to post told me they're both still juveniles...excuse the lighting please, apparently they were in a rush before the batteries died :}

Male:

Female:

it's going to suck the brains out!

Oh...I was also just told that the female molted last Tuesday and has gained 1/2" of body length (now 3.5"...9cm) and is almost 5" fully stretched out (12.7cm) eating oak brambles mostly...occasionally a little oak leaf.

 

[roach dude]

Wow Fantastic Stick insects! ;P

 

[Scolopendra55]

Glad to see you liked the pictures I sent you Their looking good

 

[edesign]

ya....the pictures...heheh

 

[ScorpDude]

The females are pure evil when they moult to adulthood too Biting, kicing, jabbing etc

 

[edesign]

ya, he can't wait...after this one moulted it started showing those signs, leather gloves may come in handy lol

 

[Mr. Mordax]

An impressive insect! There's a possibility of OSU's Bug Zoo acquiring some specimens in the future to add to their collection of permit-covered phasmids. Aren't educational institutions great?

Does your friend know if the brown one is a male? It's interesting to see phasmids that reproduce sexually.

 

[edesign]

i was told it's a male...these phasmids have distinctly different physical characteristics when it comes to the sexes. I'm not sure about very young dilatatas though, from what I've read they both start off brownish and the female begins to get her green after a few molts.

Hope your zoo gets some! Then you won't need to waste your money applying for a permit which will more than likely be turned down

 

[Mr. Mordax]

Very interesting! Of the seven or so species the Bug Zoo has, we have males of only two, and they are very distinct from the females. Sadly they are species where the males are flightless like the females.

I know that Extasoma tiaratum displays sexual dimorphism with flighted males, but we only have females. Our leaf insects that have recently started hatching all have very short antennae, so it looks like they may be all-female as well.

 

[ftorres]

Phasmids

Hello all,
Phillium sp "Leaf insects" when in their very firts instarts won't show any difference on sex. They will start showing after a few molts, where the males will have a thinner abdomen and longer antennaes.

Heteropteryx dilatata, will show sex difference even at L1, the males have distinctive markings on their backs, that females won't have. At L5 they will have the green color and if you are lucky perhaps a yellow morph coloration.

Extatosoma tiaratum will also show some differences as L2-L3.
Males will not show so many spines on thier backs, as females will.

The only thing all these species have in common is that males will mature way before the females.

Its amaizing what you learn, when you volunteer at an insect zoo. You guys should try it.

Regards
FT

 

[Mr. Mordax]

All great info. The biggest the zoo has so far are a pair of third instars, and both are looking very female (broad abdomens). I'll keep watching the others, though. Thanks!

 

[edesign]

Its amaizing what you learn, when you volunteer at an insect zoo. You guys should try it.

Iheartmantids DOES work at a zoo This dilatata female I posted pics of must have just hit L5 or L6 because as you can tell in the pics, it's not the brightest green but after this last molt the green is much more pronounced but still not bright green yet (is that the green at L5 you mention? or is L5 where it starts SHOWING green?).

 

[ftorres]

H dilatata

HEllo all,

H dilatata start showing color at L5/L6 and get full color when they mature.
She does look pale,but she will get nicer with time.

Male in the pic looks more like a sub adult or sub-sub adult.
FT

 

[Scolopendra55]

The male will should be mature in 2 molts, and the female in 3-4. If the male matures too quickly and kicks it before it's able to mate with the female (VERY unlikely), I'd be more than happy to send you a mature male "picture"

 

[Canfire]

Hey scolo what pede is in your display pic?

 

[Scolopendra55]

Hey scolo what pede is in your display pic?

Scolopendra hardwicki (it says in my signature )

 

[edesign]

just received word that the male molted Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Did NOT eat the exuvium, odd since I understand this is rare...it looks like the exuvium fell to the floor of the aquarium after molting.

Also, was told while out eating dinner Wednesday night the screen front to the tank fell off. This was discovered soon after arriving home which was followed by a slew of cuss words. THe male was still in the tank but the female in her bright green glory (she brightened up a bit since she molted) was gone. After stupidly looking around on the floor he thought, "oh yeah...stick/leaf insect...probably climbed up" and within 5 seconds spotted the 4-5" (outstretched legs put it closer to 5") jolly green giant sitting upside down at eye level, safe and sound, on one of the strings that the window blinds roll up and down with. "Welcome to the jungle...." lol