Zelus renardii (Leaf Hopper Assassin)

insect714

Arachnoknight
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Recently I caught one of these little gals (yes I know it's a gal she has laid eggs) and it took me a few days of looking to figure out exactly what she was...but I did. And after watching her stalk her prey I am glad she left me some eggs...I will try to get some pics posted...She is a beast hunter...In the 5 days I have had her she has taken down two Homalodisca vitripennis one small and one good sized adult
 

ZephAmp

Arachnobaron
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Zelus species are incredibly easy to maintain and breed. You'll have plenty more egg clusters and many babies from her in no time. :)
 

insect714

Arachnoknight
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Yea the first egg cluster has about 30 or eggs and she is already plumping back up.
 

insect714

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Nice pic Cacoseraph...it was cool seein you at the Anaheim show last weekend, would have stayed an chatted more but seemed like you had your hands full with the 2 lil kids wanting new pets {D
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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Nice pic Cacoseraph...it was cool seein you at the Anaheim show last weekend, would have stayed an chatted more but seemed like you had your hands full with the 2 lil kids wanting new pets {D
thanks.

yeah. you and two other forum ppl got eclipsed by customers or kids. those kids were pretty awesome... i think i talked with them for about 10 minutes and they asked better questions than most adults :)

we're having a bbq on the 25th this month and typically do other stuff so hopefully i can actually talk with you for a while the next time i see you
 

insect714

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Update

So my little assassin is doing great...she leaves eggs about as often as she is feeding...placed her 2nd group today...and its only been 8 days that I have had her...
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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nice! i like seeing our native 'sins (and bugs in general) getting some love :)

if you get feeding babies maybe i will have something to trade for them


edit:

also, could you explain your setup and how you are going to keep the eggs? gracias
 

insect714

Arachnoknight
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also, could you explain your setup and how you are going to keep the eggs? gracias

For the main set up I am keeping the female in a Critter Keeper with silk plants that contain the same colors as her so that she feels that she is "camo'd" The first group if eggs was laid in the container (5.5oz deli cup) I collected her in, as it was laid during my first day of ID process. As for the 2nd group I am cutting out the section of fake leaf and placing them into another 5.5oz Deli cup. I have a small piece of paper towel in the bottom that I keep slightly damp to maintain some humidity & general moisture. As for feeding the female I have been giving her Homalodisca vitripennis (Glassy Winged Sharpshooter) as they are very abundant on our Crape Myrtle trees.
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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very cool

i like the bit about her laying on a fake leaf. i've been trying to suss out good oviposition media and never even thought of silk plants. they should be pretty neutral, unrottable, and possess decent structural strength

i had read about other sins 'positing and kept on "filter paper" to great effect. i tried CHEAP coffee filter paper once or twice but the sins always croaked before anything could happen
 

ZephAmp

Arachnobaron
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When I kept Z. luridus I kept them in bare deli cup containers. Eggs, nymphs, and adults. No problems with hatching or molting or anything.
 

insect714

Arachnoknight
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@ Zeph what did you use to feed the nymphs? as I have only been offering my female natural prey (Leafhoppers), and did you notice or have any signs of cannibalism amongst the nymphs?
 

ZephAmp

Arachnobaron
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@ Zeph what did you use to feed the nymphs? as I have only been offering my female natural prey (Leafhoppers), and did you notice or have any signs of cannibalism amongst the nymphs?
I used fruit flies and crushed mealworm pupae to feed the nymphs. There were only a few cannibalisms here and there, primarily when I fed a day or two late.
 

insect714

Arachnoknight
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Update!

Found this from my Group1 of Zelus renardii eggs this afternoon. It took 10 days to hatch out at the Temp (~75*f day/ ~68*f night) and humidity (~90% day/ ~50% night)




Now come the task of gettin the little guys & gals to eat...
 

insect714

Arachnoknight
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Well that last pic was during hatch, since I have separated them into 4 smaller groups (3x10 1x6) and as Zeph mentioned I tried the crushed mealworms (the actual worm not the pupae (since I didnt have any) and have now seen a number the little guys eating. Now just waiting for egg group 2 to hatch out.
 
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