Stick Insect winter-time food.

[CustomNature]

Hey folks, I just started raising phasmids this year, and this is my first winter with them. I was wonder what kind of pointer I could get as to what to feed them when their normal food dies in winter (bramble, oak leaves, rose leaves)???? I fed them Romaine lettuce a few times, and they ate it, but it seemed too watery and the insects produced dark saliva. I heard they will eat parsley too, any word on that??? :?

 

[Wade]

I've found waxmurtle (aka bayberry) to be a good food plant for many species. It's a shrub that stays green all year.

Wade

 

[Navaros]

You can also freeze their foodplants and use them all winter. Wax myrtle is excellent though.

 

[CustomNature]

I've heard that dandelion greens from the grocery store work well also. Any word on that? :?

 

[Wade]

All I can say is try it. When experimenting with new foods, try to offer it now and mix it in with what they're eating currently so they have a chance to get used to it. Some things, like oak, bramble, rose, waxmyrtle, etc work well for most species, while other plants may work for a select few. If you're in the US, I Highly recomend the book "Ghosts of the Trees" available at www.elytraandantenna.com . It's a phasmid care book that features a big section on foodplants (with pictures), with common and scientific names, as well as tips for growing certain ones indoors. It's a good book even if you're not in the US, but this American found the section on plants very useful, as European phasmid books often emphasize plants that are not common here.

Wade

 

[Atrax robustus]

My E.calcarata (sp?) used to eat holm oak also called evergreen oak.
AR.

 

[Bob]

I always found bramble in Oregon all winter long. I would have to drive around a little more to find it though. The leaves stay on as long as the plant is protected from the cold wind. I would look in sheltered parking lots and in between buildings......did it for about 5 years !!