Stick Insect Winter Foods!

[rosscleland]

Hello. I'm thinking of keeping a few extatosoma tiaratum (giant prickly stick/leaf insect). I'm confident about finding bramble, oak, and rose- in spring/summer/autumn. But I'm pretty certain all of these die in the winter. I'm finding some articles online telling me that bramble stays alive in the winter and should be the main food source but I'm also finding lots of articles telling me that bramble leaves die in the winter. Can anyone give me clarification on this matter or suggest how I'd feed them in winter! Thanks. I'm in Scotland by the way so I only have access to Scottish woodland plants.

 

[chanda]

You could keep a small potted rose bush indoors. Roses keep their leaves year-round if kept warmish. Just be sure it hasn't been treated with pesticides. Rose bushes purchased from nurseries or garden shops may have been treated with systemic pesticides to keep them pretty and bug-free for the customers.

 

[ColeopteraC]

Bramble is the ideal winter foodplant, easy to find in great supply all year round. Just try to avoid roadside bramble as it is usually contaminated with chemicals and exhaust fumes.

 

[Coradams]

Hello from America! This is my second year raising E. tiaratum. I work as a children's science center and mine came from an animal education center. They warned me that despite the info online, they only live the season. It was true. They died shortly after laying eggs in the fall. I was able to keep some eggs and they hatched this spring! I am raising the second generation now.
If you or anyone has luck keeping these longer than a season, please let me know the secret!

 

[MasterOogway]

Hello from America! This is my second year raising E. tiaratum. I work as a children's science center and mine came from an animal education center. They warned me that despite the info online, they only live the season. It was true. They died shortly after laying eggs in the fall. I was able to keep some eggs and they hatched this spring! I am raising the second generation now.
If you or anyone has luck keeping these longer than a season, please let me know the secret!

It's not necessarily that they're *seasonal*, they just don't live that long period. Typical lifespan is 10-12 months, and once they're out of eggs the females die. But, seeing as how they're parthenogenic and females lay prolific numbers of eggs, you should be able to keep or grow populations easily. Bear in mind in the States these are illegal without permits, even for institutional use; just make sure you have your APHIS PPQ 526 for them.