Giant Stick Bug (Phobaeticus serratipes, formerly known as Pharnacia serratipes) (PSG-25)

This spicie holds the record for the longest individual insect ever at 55.5cm long. One of the hardest thing to do is to raise them to maturity in captivity without them losing any legs. Usually takes 4-5 month for their eggs to hatch. They have to be kept at 24-25°C, 70-80% damp.

I have lost my P. serratipes culture. They were doing great for me, but then when all have hatched from the parents that I hatched and grew up, during a couple of months all (around 200) have died. Some have died from molting problems, others from not eating Bramble, though their parents were fed on Bramble their whole life. I think the molting problems can be blamed on not feeding their parents anything but Bramble, thus they had not enaph nutrience to sustain a healthy exoskeleton. Though I still wander why other nymphs would not eat.

Females: are commonly green but sometimes brown.

Males: are much shorter than females. Males have a blue and a black stripe along the sides of the thorax, and are winged, but cannot fly. Their wings get 5 1/2 inches (14cm) long.

Diet: Oak, Bramble, Photinia, Red/ Yellow Salmon Berry.

Phobaeticus serratipes's ova.

Phobaeticus serratipes hatching.

One day old nymph, when it hatched it was 3cm long, with each leg being a bet longer then its body.

2 week old Phobaeticus serratipes.

Its a good idea to cover open water with some Foil so that the Stick Bugs won't drawn.

4 week old Phobaeticus serratipes.

6 week old Phobaeticus serratipes.

Cloth up of front legs and head.

Cloth up of abdomen.

3 month old P. serratipes.

Green form, adult Female.

Brown form, adult female.