A Leaf Insect nymph shortly after hatching. (Most Australians would call them stick insects, even though these ones are technically leaf insects. It is native to Northern Queensland. A temperature of around 25’C, plus or minus a couple of degrees, tends to work well for this species and keeps the nymphs growing at a healthy rate. available to eat at all times rather than feeding them every few days or every week, like you do with predators like tarantulas and scorpions. Extatosoma tiaratum, commonly known as the spiny leaf insect, the giant prickly stick insect, Macleay's spectre, or the Australian walking stick, is a large species of stick insect endemic to Australia. Stick bugs are long insects that resemble sticks. Hatch your own stick insect… You will need A clean plastic takeaway (or similar) container with a secure lid A piece of fly screen Some paper towel Glue or Silicon Scissors (Decoration for the outside of your container – optional) Some stick insect eggs First make your hatchery… 1. Leaf insects undergo incomplete metamorphosis. A female Spiny Leaf Insect - one of the most popular species. Ask an adult to help you cut a hole in the centre of the lid. For young leaf insects, kept in a sealed container with minimal ventilation, care should be taken to prevent too much moisture. Keeping Spiny Leaf Insects as Pets: Phasmid Facts and How to Care for These Kid-Friendly Bugs. While the Giant Spiny stick insect might be OK at room temperature during the summer months, for the vast majority of the year they’ll require some kind of supplemental heating. The Giant Spiny Stick Insect is a thoroughly impressive species of stick insect. A Leaf Insect nymph shortly after hatching. The ants take the eggs down into their ant hills, eat the little knob on the end of the egg (no dirty jokes please) and then dispose of the egg in their 'rubbish' heap where they hatch, mimic the ants and walk straight out of the ant hill unharmed. Make sure to let the paper dry completely for half a day before spraying again, as this is the best way to prevent mold. I am in no way an expert or anything, just a hobbyist who adores my pets! Depending on the exact type, and where you come from, phasmids are also called stick insects, stick-bugs, walking sticks or ghost insects. If you have more than one stick insect, they may end up breeding. Place the tissue paper in the box and put the eggs on top. Spiny Leaf Insects just drop their eggs into the ground. How to Take Care of Stick Bugs. I have found varying opinion on how to care for the eggs. Punch small holes in the lid to allow for air flow. They can be purchased at many pet stores around the world. You can see the egg present in the adult insect for a couple of days before it finally drops. Eggs which are sexually produced will hatch quicker than those birthed through parthenogenesis. Growing to some 15cm or so in length these are big, bulky creatures. With care, most species of leaf insects can be bred successfully. Australia is the native home of the spiny leaf stick insect. This enclosure will comfortably house two pair of “small” adult stick insects (eg Spiny Leaf Stick Insects or Crowned Stick Insects), or one pair of a larger species (eg. Ants carry the eggs back to their underground nests, eat only the knob, and leave the rest of the egg in the nest, protected from other animals that might eat it. The eggs of the Spiny Leaf Insect, Extatosoma tiaratum, have a knob, called a capitulum, which is attractive to ants. Covered in sharp spines they are sometimes also known as the “Thorny Devil Stick Insect”.