Bostriana boliviana "Santa Cruz de la Sierra"

(by Bruno Kneubuehler)

General Informations

• provenience: Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia, Dto. Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Barrio Urubo, Puente Urubo 91)
• taxonomic evaluation by Oskar Conle (Germany), Frank Hennemann (Germany) and Pablo Valero (Spain)
• F1 CB culture in Europe by Bruno Kneubuehler (2015)
• further taxonomical informations ➤ phasmida.speciesfile.org
• this is a pure culture, and serious breeders are asked to avoid mixing this culture with similar populations from a different provenience

Females

• medium-sized, long-legged, slender species
• body length 9 - 11 cm
• light brown to dark brown
• inner side of forelegs orange

Males

• very slender, long-legged
• body length about 6 cm
• long antennae
• light brown with some dark markings
• inner side of forelegs orange
   

Nymphs

• freshly hatched nymphs are light brown with a brown eye-band
• about 14 mm long
• on how to distinguish between male and female nymphs

Eggs

• 3.5 x 2 mm
• brown, with a light brown band
• glossy, smooth

Food Plants

• Hypericum (Hypericum spp.)
  very well accepted by nymphs and adults

Breeding, Behaviour

• active mainly during the night
• they feign death when touched
• eggs just drop to the ground
• about 25 eggs per female and week
• incubation (HH-method on slightly damp vermiculite) about 5 - 7 months at 20 - 23 °C
• males will be adult after 2 months (at 20 - 24°C), females after 2.5 months
• nymphs hatch during the night
• a humidity of about 60 - 70 % seems to be good enough for this species
• one can spray them regularly with chlorine-free water, but allow the water to dry up before spraying again
• very easy to breed
• maybe the LTD method can be applied to avoid food plant shortage in winter, but this has not been tested by me

Basics of phasmids breeding

• keep only one species per cage, overpopulation is one of the main reasons for breeding failures
• keep nymphs seperate from the adults, mainly to protect them during the crucial moulting phases
• choose the cage big enough, when in doubt it is (usually) better to choose a cage too big than too small
• a ventilator often supports good breeding results, as it seems to increase activity and feeding
• provide enough light, but avoid direct sunlight (overheating)
• try to keep day time temperatures below 25°C
• a nocturnal fall of temperature is natural, and thus advantageous
• do not spray too much, phasmids are no fish ! The water should dry up before you spray again
• minimize disturbances (loud music, commotions, light at or during the night, opening up cages in the morning [often a moulting phase] ect.)