Phasmid food

[RVS]

Does anyone know where I can find bramble cuttings for the winter months?

 

[Thoth]

Brambles being any plant of the Rubus genus would include raspberries or blackberry plants. Depending on where you live they grow wild like weeds, you could dig one up and grow it indoors (get permission of the landowner before you do, again depending on where you live they maybe heavily armed and legal to shoot tresspassers).

Or you might still be able to find them for sale at any local nursery or home improvement store and just grow them in a large plastic bucket. Alternative you can get them online. Besides food for your phasmids, you'll have an annual haul of berries.

 

[Stylopidae]

Some species also eat rose bushes, if that helps. They're not too hard to find at this time of year, at least where I live

 

[galeogirl]

Some phasmids will also take rhododendron and ivy; a friend told me that hers would also take alder branches. You can cultivate caneberries and ivy in pots indoors year-round.

 

[Ecilious]

they maybe heavily armed and legal to shoot tresspassers

Heh, made me laugh, might be something to do with being from England.

As others have said: depending on the species they can eat a lot of stuff, try putting in a few different things and see what they eat, just remember to keep giving them brambles aswell so they don't get hungry if there isn't anything they don't like.

 

[RVS]

Thanks for the help everyone! :worship:
I managed to find several blackberry plants on my mother's property. I cut few gallon-size freezer bags worth and even saved a few long cuttings to see if I can get them to root.
I've heard that atleast one of the species I'm dealing with (Haaniella dehaani and Extatosoma tiaratum) accepts oak leaves as well. Those should be pretty easy to find!

 

[NiGHTS]

If you're going to freeze any of the blackberry branches, just keep in mind that they will dry out faster than they normally would when fresh. So be sure to pick more than you think you will need. I've heard that blackberry can remain usable for about a year in the freezer.

 

[RVS]

If you're going to freeze any of the blackberry branches, just keep in mind that they will dry out faster than they normally would when fresh. So be sure to pick more than you think you will need. I've heard that blackberry can remain usable for about a year in the freezer.

I put a couple oif the bags in the refrigerator, then I placed the rest in the freezer. Will the ones in the refrigerator dry out as well?

 

[Ecilious]

Extatosoma tiaratum - I adore those things, but I haven't had them for years, not since I was about eight years old and had two females. I still remember that smell as well, quite sweet. I really need to buy a house...

 

[NiGHTS]

No, refrigeration doesn't damage the plant tissue like freezing does, so the leaves won't dry up so quickly. However, the blackberry cuttings will start to decompose if left in the refrigerator too long. Depending on your refrigerator's setting, I would think you could expect to keep it for anywhere from two weeks to a month...but that's pushing it.

If you need cuttings during the winter months, contact someone you know in a warmer region and see if they can ship you some. I also noticed that some guy over on the petbugs.com forums is selling bramble cuttings too.

 

[Wade]

It'll be much easier if you find something that grows evergreen year round you can use. Bramble works in many parts of the US but in many places it is very scarace. I find bramble to literally be a pain to work with anyway!

Waxmurtle (AKA Bayberry), for example, is a common landscape plant that is evergreen and eaten by most phasmids. It is often found growing wild along the edges of rivers and ponds.

The phasmid book "Ghosts Of the Trees" available from www.elytraandantenna.com includes a list of native and cultivated plants (with pictures and descriptions) common in the US that are eaten by phasmids. A very useful list!

Wade

 

[RVS]

It'll be much easier if you find something that grows evergreen year round you can use. Bramble works in many parts of the US but in many places it is very scarace. I find bramble to literally be a pain to work with anyway!

Waxmurtle (AKA Bayberry), for example, is a common landscape plant that is evergreen and eaten by most phasmids. It is often found growing wild along the edges of rivers and ponds.

Bramble seems to be pretty common in my area. It did tear up my arms though!
I don't think I'll be able to search for evergreen plants over the winter though, since the winters here (I live in northwest PA right on lake Erie) are extremely harsh. I mean 3+ feet of snow and sub zero temperatures.

 

[CustomNature]

I'll tell you what to do for over-winter foods for your sticks, dandelion greens. I too live in PA (in the north east) and all vegetation dies off with our winters. I then found out that Wegmans and other grocery stores sell dandelion greens, because I guess some people put them in their salads for some reason. Anyways, get your sticks onto a diet of them and you'll be set. All it is, is the leaves of a dandelion. During the summer I just go out in the yard and pick the leaves, then when winter comes, I buy it from the store. It's ususally $1.40ish for a huge bundle. During the summer though, I do mix in some bramble and oak, just to very their diet. Hope it helps!

 

[RVS]

I'll tell you what to do for over-winter foods for your sticks, dandelion greens. I too live in PA (in the north east) and all vegetation dies off with our winters. I then found out that Wegmans and other grocery stores sell dandelion greens, because I guess some people put them in their salads for some reason. Anyways, get your sticks onto a diet of them and you'll be set. All it is, is the leaves of a dandelion. During the summer I just go out in the yard and pick the leaves, then when winter comes, I buy it from the store. It's ususally $1.40ish for a huge bundle. During the summer though, I do mix in some bramble and oak, just to very their diet. Hope it helps!

Thanks for the advice!
There's a Wegman's in my area!