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Tisamenus
deplanata
(Westwood, 1848) PSG No. 399
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Phasmatodea
Family: Heteropterygidae
Subfamily: Obriminae
Genus: Tisamenus
Tisamenus deplanata is a small, fairly stocky species. It is native to the Philippines, more precisely to the islands of Luzon and Mindanao.
- Adult females are about 5.5cm long. They are stocky with a few spines and are brown in color.
- Adult males are smaller and measure about 3.5 cm. They are a little thinner than the females and darker (brown / dark brown)
- The young ones measure about 1.5cm . They are dark brown.
- The eggs are barrel shaped and measure 4mmx3mm.
Special features:
Easy to breed
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01. His breeding
For the eggs:
Provide an incubation box. We recommend our micro-perforated boxes with lids. Then several possibilities:
- Place some paper towel at the bottom of the box, moisten it and place the eggs on top. Be careful of the risk of mold.
- You place a slice of floral foam at the bottom of the box, moisten it and place the eggs on top.
- You place vermiculite at the bottom of the box which you moisten and place the eggs on top.
For young people:
Either you raise them with the adults (be careful when changing food, the young are small and fragile) or you raise them separately. You will therefore have to use the same model of terrarium as the adults but of a smaller size.
The floor of the terrarium will be covered with damp paper towels to maintain good humidity and make it easier to maintain the terrarium.
For adults:
Minimum (recommended) height of the terrarium: 2.5 times the size of the adult female.
The size of the terrarium will depend on the number of specimens. For example, in a 30x30x30 terrarium, you can keep 5/6 couples.
In addition, the terrarium must be partially ventilated . Therefore, a terrarium with ventilation will be required.
The floor of the terrarium will be covered with damp paper towels to maintain good humidity and make it easier to maintain the terrarium.
We can add bark, tiles and other decorations because this species tends to hide.
For the female to lay eggs, it is necessary to provide a nest box, i.e. a box with at least 4/5 cm of organic potting soil, vermiculite, peat, sand or a mixture with these elements. It is therefore necessary to have a shallow container so that the laying substrate is accessible.
Tisamenus deplanata feeds mainly on brambles but can also be fed with rose, raspberry, ivy, salal or cherry laurel.
To do this, you need to arrange the branches in the terrarium by placing the stems in a jar of water (to avoid drowning, be sure to block the entrance to the jar with paper towels, for example).
Renew as soon as the food begins to fade.
Temperature: between 20°C and 28°C.
Humidity:
For the eggs: The incubation medium and the atmosphere must remain moist. To do this, spray a little water whenever necessary. Be careful if it is too dry, either there will be no births, or the young may not be able to come out of the egg completely or will be poorly formed.
For young: Humid atmosphere required, approximately 70/80% humidity. Be careful if it is too dry, the moults will be missed. Humidity can be provided by the food plant thanks to the foliage. Otherwise, you must spray a little water as soon as necessary.
For adults: Humid atmosphere required, approximately 70/80% humidity. Humidity can be provided by the food plant through the foliage. Otherwise, spray a little water as needed.
Lighting : Lighting is optional if the ambient light is sufficient. Otherwise, additional lighting will be required.
02. Its development
The eggs
Laying method: The female Tisamenus deplanata buries her eggs but she also sometimes drops some on the ground.
Laying frequency: Females begin laying about 1 month after the imaginal moult. A female lays about ten eggs per month.
Egg collection: As soon as possible or each time the terrarium is cleaned and the bottom paper towel is changed.
Incubation period: 4 to 5 months.
The young people
Development time : About 5 to 7 months. Males grow faster than females.
Means of defense: None
Adults
Reproduction: sexual.
Defense: None
Activity : Nocturnal stick insect. During the day it hides in the branches. At night it moves, feeds and the females lay eggs.
Prolificacy: Low