Species: Phyllium celebicum (PSG 128).
Common Name: Celebes Leaf Insect.
Size: Maximum: Males,
6.5cm. Females, 8cm.
Breeding: Sexual, parthenogenetic
without males. As adults, females have a much wider abdomen
compared to the males (see pictures).
Eggs: These are dropped to the floor.
Expect around 200 per female.
Food: Oak, Bramble.
Humidity: Light, spray twice per week.
Comments: A very attractive species
that is green and mimics the look of a leaf. They move at an
average speed and the female looks similar to a clockwork toy when
she walks. These are very easy to handle and very pretty. Both
sexes have wings as adults, but only the male can fly, which he
does very well and elegantly.
These are most definitely a
favourite species of mine. The adult male is relatively
short-lived (up to 2 months) compared to the adult female (4 to 6
months) and he
will also mature weeks before the her, this mainly to avoid
natural in-breeding. Females go through 6 moults and males 5
moults.
This is said to be the easiest of the
phyllium species to rear and the only real problem is that
associated with female jungle nymphs, females getting stuck in
their old skin during the final moult. This is again cured
by keeping the cage humid during this period.
