Ausmerica
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This is a mother. Observe the blur that is her dancin' arms. I've five of them, all girls. Parapachymorpha zomproi, originally from Thailand, they're happy to be handled and they're interesting and easy to care for, eating brambles, hawthorne, rose and generally most things that stab you. They'll also eat certain oak and eucalyptus.
This is one on the day I first got them. I was tasked to care for them as they were unwanted, and I figured, aye, I'll give it a shot. They moult about six times before adulthood - this girl has about four moults left to do before maturity.
Zomproi are both sexual and non-sexual. My sticks are all girls, but they still lay eggs, mostly to simply jettison weight, but a low percentage of them are parthenogenetic, meaning that they will yield young, and they'll be genetic clones of their parent. Phasmid eggs have a little hatch (see the top-most egg) that pops open.
And here's a freshly hatched baby, a nymph. I put ~100 eggs aside to raise, and I've already got five nymphs. The gestation period is around 4-5 months.
Thank you, if you looked at my girls. I love them, I just want to gush about them a lot.
Edit, I was asked to see a moult, so here's a skin: https://i.imgur.com/ClQQ5LJ.jpg
They hang upside down to moult, so you must make sure there's vertical space for it to happen. They slide out of their old skin head first, and once they're out, they eat it. Rarely, like above, one will be left to pick out, but mostly, when you clean their house, you'll find some moulted leg bits at the bottom.
XEquisX
I've seen them before. Thought they were neat looking. But knew ZERO about them. Thanks for sharing that knowledge. Very cool.
analnipple666
They're actually super adorable, I love this omg
OptimisticSchrodinger
I love seeing people passionate about things I wouldn’t necessarily be. Love your babies!
Danxiety
I used to have stick bois who also had kids but unfortunately they got out so I was finding them all over my room for some time.
Darrions
I love stick insects, I used to have a big ass tank full of them. Hundreds of sticks. Unfortunately I had to give them to someone else
treboresque
what's brown and sticky?
Ausmerica
Poo.
Suikodenstar
Looks like you’ll be sticking around for a while
Ausmerica
They're girls, and they're bugs, so I call them lady bugs. Technically correct.
Escapist83
From the picture those eggs look like pot seeds.
hadtodownvote1
Would be pretty wild if it was both. If it gets buried it grows into pot, if left on the surface it grows into a stick insect
bluetongueskank
Precious little undercover babies, congrats!
Ausmerica
In the morning I check on my adult girls in their tank, and I count them, and always struggle to find at least one or two.
jaydawgx7
What happens if you soak them in wood?
baturro
Have you branched out and raised other insects?
Ausmerica
I've been looking at other phasmids, like thorny leafs and some of the bigger species, but in the UK it's hard to give them eucalyptus.
OkieDonkey111
Fascinating! I've never seen stick bug eggs before. Thank you for sharing!
Ausmerica
https://daily.jstor.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/phasmid_eggs-990x700.jpg <--- heckin' wild
OkieDonkey111
That's amazing!
LiterallyAWizard
Do you name them? If so, how many are named "Hank", regardless of gender?
Ausmerica
It's wild you said that, for so many years I've been naming any insect I've seen Hank. The spider in the corner? Hank. Total Hank.
LiterallyAWizard
"Hank" and "Dave" are my two "Default generic male names" for when I need to come up with something on the fly >.>
Muunk
A nautical phasmid
CriticalMother
Good job proud parent! This was beautiful and interesting and I learned a lot. might actually like stick bugs now. Keep it up bug daddy
ActiveMancano
Sky daddy
highteck9
Bug daddy.
Ausmerica
From a CriticalMother, no less. I keep insisting my stix are the cutest, but my cats won't listen.
SoyDivision
Keep it up bug daddy.
v
Purcifer
I think I'm in love, I'm expecting updates on these beauties! See what you started?
Ausmerica
I'll probably post updates on /r/Phasmids, if you're interested! Thank you for loving my girls. I am stressed.
MajorTom0101
Is it some of all the eggs or all of some of the stick bugs eggs that are all parthegentic?
Ausmerica
It depends on the species. Some species are sexual, requiring a male and female couple to reproduce. This species will reproduce that way-->
Ausmerica
But in the absence of a male the female will still lay parthenogenetic eggs. Most unfertilised eggs won't have a baby, but some will.--->
Ausmerica
The eggs created by a female in the absence of a male will be a genetic clone of the mother.
MajorTom0101
So if chickens were like that you could hatch maybe 1 out of a dozen and it would be a clone. Cool.
c00lbeans69
Just be careful. In most places, it's illegal to keep non-native stick insects because they can reproduce asexually and are very prolific
c00lbeans69
So- don't be dumb and let a single one escape since that's all it could really take to start an invasive population
Ausmerica
Fortunately I'm the UK, and this species is fine to keep. I know in the US they're stricter about non-native phasmids.
Ausmerica
The eggs I don't attempt to raise are humanely disposed of.
Corrosion
Stick insect egg meringue?
asm80dfa8sdfj
A 300 egg omelet
JuliusPepperwoodFromChicago
What is their life span?
Ausmerica
In the wild about 6-7 months, in captivity you can keep them for over a year.
Rips4w
At what age are they rideable?
mrsdowneyjr
Asking the important questions. I would go ahead and qualify that with "for a human" because my literalist son would say something sassy
mrsdowneyjr
Like "a bug could ride them now"
Corrosion
When it becomes a branch insect
AnAmoeba
I like them too
ImAnActionBirb
+1 for not including the moult photo in the original post.
Ausmerica
It's a very alien process, and I totally understand any aversions to that. Similarly, them hatching is super wild.
SpikeWolfwood
Kinda want to see both now.
Yesisaidthat
Do you need and permits to handle a potentially invasive bug?
Ausmerica
I got these through a breeder (by proxy). In the UK depending on species you're probably fine. In the US non-native phasmids are forbidden.
Ausmerica
In terms of invasiveness, given their origin in Thailand, neither the insects themselves or their eggs would survive a British winter.
princessdogface
Tell me more! How do you know male vs female? Do they seem to have personalities? Do you have a favorite? Whats their habitat like?
Ausmerica
Males are smoother and less patterned, they don't have ridges on their legs and they're skinnier. --->
Ausmerica
They don't have unique personalities, and aside from defects, I can't tell them apart (except one had a bad moult and has a bandy leg). --->
Ausmerica
Habitat is so easy it's wild. I just have a 100 litre clear storage box, with some mesh on the top and a band of elastic. --->
Ausmerica
They're comfortable at around 20-30+ degrees C, and even a little lower at night is okay. They have some branches and brambles!
princessdogface
Thanks for the info :)
BurgerSquid
AAA I LOVE THEM ALLL!!!!
Ausmerica
Their only method of defense is to look like a stick, so they dance like they're in the wind too. Precious dancin'.
BurgerSquid
I know! They are precious lil doofus and I love them.
mto96
We need dance video now for evidence
Ausmerica
I'll do my best for you tomorrow. In the mean time, may I interest you in this: https://www.reddit.com/r/Entomology/comments/eo7eru/wiggles/
mto96
This pleases zulthar
Ausmerica
Ausmerica praises Yog-Sothoth, Ia! Ia! Cthulhu fh'tagn
BurgerSquid
mto96
RichardHardley
Wow ! Very cool. Also fresh eggs for world’s tiniest omelet.
CarlottaVonSprockett
nonCanadianGoose
I’d accidentally put them in my@pepper mill
Ausmerica
The eggs without young do have a little glob of goo in them. Delicious goo, perfect for any breakfast.
midrampage
How do you know which have young and which don't?
namAehT
Please tell me you've actually tasted them
justsome
mix with flour sugar and baking soda to make little tiny pancakes
HedonistBeard
Single ones stick to your teeth. Lick a whole bundle and it tastes like a
cre8majic
Can you show us pictures of a moult? it there much that comes off? Very cool!
Ausmerica
cre8majic
Wow- that's amazing! Thanks!!
bipartisantacos
That log had a child
Howlingowl
Fear my stick
anActualHumanPerson
justsome
mr seagull, stop it now
MilkshakeMaster
Didnt like it??
JoshuaCM0408
Great, now I have that damn song stuck in my head again.
weaselodoom
It's almost as bad as the hamster dance...
andyonetime
Rockin, rockin and rollin
imasneakypineapplehead
Ok so that made me laugh out loud at work where I’m not supposed to have my phone ??♂️
sciencebasedlifeform
MafewPie
the log branched out
iputmymouthonit
That log made a stick
analnipple666
See Ivan? Stick always win
lovehandlesmessiah
My stick is better than baconnnnn
LazySpider
Mmmmmmmmmm
Crippling
I love them so much! as an aspiring entomologist, where did you find out how to take care of them?
Ausmerica
It was a lot of frantic googling, reddit and the Phasmid Study Group who are fantastic at replying to questions. --->
Ausmerica
There's no bespoke wiki page for them, and I've been meaning to put one together, but if you're interested please feel free to msg me.
Crippling
Awesome will do!