Genus
CLP
356
PSG
319
Culture status
In culture
Foodplants
Bramble (Rubus spp.)
Breeding notes
(by Bruno Kneubuehler)
General Notes
-
the taxonomic position of this species is subject to current research by Oskar Conle and Frank Hennemann
- 2008 - first successful culture of this species by Bruno Kneubuehler
- 2010 - distributed to other breeders by the false name Isagoras sp. "Los Banos"
- 2015 - the correct name for this species is Isagoras sp. "San Miguel de Los Bancos"
Origin
-
Pachijal (San Miguel de Los Bancos, Pichincha, Ecuador)
Female
- 7 - 7,5 cm long
- colouration is variable - brown, brown-grey or brown-green
- females can fly very well too
Male
- small and thin phasmids
- about 5 - 5,5 cm long
- colouration is as variable as in females
- they fly very well, also over longer distances (at least several meters)
- males have a short life span, only 4 - 6 weeks (with some exceptions)
Nymphs (L1)
- green-brown
- antennae are longer than the fore legs
Eggs
- if the eggs were not yet in touch with water, then they have a smooth surface
- soon after they come in contact with water, they develop a furry appearance
- about 2,5 x 1,5 mm
- dark brown
- surface is matt
Food Plants
- nymphs (from L1) as well as adults feed very easily on bramble (Rubus sp.)
- considering the small size of this species, they can eat quite a lot
- in Ecuador also plants of the family Piperaceae were accepted as food plants
Defensive Behaviour
- if young nymphs feel threatened, they can jump from their resting place and fall to the ground
- also adult males and females try to escape as soon as they feel threatened (opening the cage door might already trigger this behaviour)
- males can fly for quite a distance
- females (especially when full with eggs) usually fly only for a short distance
- upon landing, they freeze quickly
Breeding Notes
- an easy to breed and active species
- as it is a species with a hectic behaviour which quickly tries to escape, changing their food plants can tax the patience of the breeder
- cup-incubation (on slightly damp vermiculite) yields good hatching ratios
- hatching ratio in the 3rd generation was more than 50 %
- incubation time at room temperatures (20 - 23°C) is about 3,5 months
- keep the nymphs in a cage with good ventilation
- take care that the humidity does not drop too low
- a constantly wet paper towel on the bottom of the cage helps raising humidity
- if the cage of the nymphs is overcrowded, then problems during moulting are quite frequent (and sometimes fatal)
- nymphs and adults can be kept in a Faunabox (or similar cage)
- move nymphs to a bigger cage as they grow bigger
- I have never sprayed nymphs or adults with water
- males will be adult after about 2,5 months (at 20 - 23°C), females after 3 months
- females start to lay eggs after about 2 weeks
- eggs are just dropped to the ground