The Phasmid Study Group

SEPTEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER No 107 This Newsletter looks fantastic ISSN 0268-3806 in full colour. Go to the members' area of the PSG INDEX Website to view &/or download.

National Week Page 5 Page Content

The Colour Page Editorial, Diary Dates, PSG Committee Stick Talk National Insect Week Eurycantha calcarata Observations The Kettering Show, Phasmids in the News Respiration in Phasmids Collecting in Thailand, Additions to Culture list PSG Summer Meeting Plea for Comments on Future PSG Meetings Database of Natural History Museum in Vienna Word Scramble, New Editor Needed for Newsletter Defensive Tactics in Phasmids Report on Pestival Word Scramble Answers, Survey Results, PSG Merchandise, Wants & Exchanges, Members' Website Password, Helpful Taxonomists Wanted Stick of Great Britain Phaenopharos khaoyaiensis Article , Obituary.

PSG Summer Meeting, Page 11.

Which is the ant, which the nymph? Page15.

NOTICE It is to be directly understood that all views, opinions or theories, expressed in the pages of "The Newsletter", are those of the author(s) concerned. All announcements of meetings, requests for help or information, are accepted as bona fide. Neither the Editor, nor Officers and Committee of "The Phasmid Study Group", can be held responsible for any loss, embarrassment or injury that might be sustained by reliance thereon.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.1 THE COLOUR PAGE!

sp. by Chris Pull

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.2 Editorial

Welcome to the September PSG Newsletter; please read and enjoy. I am amazed at the wonderful " 'V^-r«,

response I had when seeking contributions for this Newsletter. The quality and quantity of the contributions 7 ^j^p is second to none. The time, hard work, and research that has gone into them is truly incredible. Many, many * thanks to you all. In particular, I am very much indebted to Malcolm Lee for choosing the PSG Newsletter as the vehicle for his definitive paper on stick insects in Britain - all 8 pages of it! (I had considerable difficulty inserting the spreadsheets though - and so apologise that their layout is still a bit inconsistent).

New Editor Needed. The December Newsletter will be my last! Yes folks, that is my bombshell; I feel it is time to hang up my editor's pen and let some new blood take over. I have had the honour of being the editor of the PSG Newsletter for over 5 years; when I look at my early Newsletters some of my efforts makes me cringe with embarrassment, however I like to think I learnt from my mistakes and built up the Newsletter to the remarkable document you see before you. But I feel I have taken the Newsletter as far as I can, and that the only way forward is for someone else to build on my efforts and take it to new heights. My other reason for retiring is that I want to do other things; I spend a considerable amount of effort on each Newsletter, and it seems to leave me with little spare time to do much else. That is me, others may be able to do a better job in less time. I have found it a lot of fun and very enjoyable. I have given a bit more information about the vacant editor's job on page 14, please read it before making your mind up on whether or not to volunteer for the post.

Articles for the Next Newsletter. I would love to go out on a high, so if you could assist me by again sending me LOTS of contributions for the December Newsletter it would be fantastic. Please send me your articles, reviews on shows and meetings, drawings, photos, phasmid problems, answers to problems, crosswords, quizzes, puzzles, etc. (The new editor will of course want some contributions for the March Newsletter, so save some ideas for that as well, and I may assist them with a contribution or two myself). Regards to all, Mike Smith Editor PSG Newsletter. 13 Runnacles Street, Silver End, Witham, Essex, CMS 3QN, England, UK. Tel: 01376 584388. [email protected].

Diary Dates The 2nd European Biattodea Culture Group Meeting (Blattodea = cockroaches). Sunday, 1st October. 2006 - 11.30 am. Dorothea Bate Room (formerly called Palaeontology Demonstration Room), Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London. For further information please contact:George [email protected], or Judith [email protected], or ARTi- - " - ALL POTENTIAL NEW MEMBERS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND. AES Exhibition Saturday, 7th October, 2006, 11am. Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road, Kempton Park, Sunbury-on Thames, Middlesex. (Contact: AES, PO Box 8774, London, SW7; For further information e-mail: [email protected]).

THE 38TH PHASMA MEETING Sunday, 15th October, 2006, 11am. De Klaekeburg, Gronsvelderstraat, 142, 6229 VN Maastricht, HOLLAND. Contact:: Rob Krijns, Kristien Rabaey and Rob Simoens [email protected], [email protected], www - I nl. Agenda: 11am-12.15pm Lunch (drink and snack bar available), registration of surplus livestock. 12.15-12.30 talk by Dr. P.E.Bragg about the ""Phasmids of Borneo". Also books for sale: "Phasmids of Borneo" by Phil Bragg - 135 Euro, "An Illustrated Guide to The Stick Insects of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore" by Francis Seow-Choen - 30 Euro, (advance orders to [email protected]). Also: Exhibition "Phasmids of Borneo" by Joachim Bresseel, Talk by Chris Pull, Surplus distribution, Time for members to talk, then meeting ends about 16.30. Meeting organised with thanks to: Rob Krijns, Ernst Jansen, Jan and Leen Verleyen, Joachim Bresseel and Ellen, Bart Van Aken, Tim Bollens, Stijn en Pierre Bauwens, Kim D'Hulster, Rob Simoens and Kristien Rabaey.

PSG AGM & WINTER MEETING Saturday, 20th January, 2006 - 11.30 am, Dorothea Bate Room (formerly called Palaeontology Demonstration Room), Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London. Make a date in your diary! (Full details in December PSG Newsletter).

PSG COMMITTEE (full information of the committee's role profiles are available on request. Please contact any committee member for details) CHAIRMAN Judith Marshall, Dept. of Entomology, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, (Tel: 020 7942 5610; Fax 020 7942 5229) E-mail: [email protected]. TREASURER/MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Paul Brock, "Papillon", 40 Thorndike Road, Slough, Berks. SL2 1SR, (Tel: 01753 579447 Phone after 5pm). SECRETARY (Shared role) Ian Bushell and Sarah Houghton.

PHASMID STUDIES EDITOR Phil Bragg, 8 The Lane, Awsworth, Nottinghamshire, NG16 2QP, (Tel: 0115 9305010). EXHIBITION & MEETINGS OFFICER PaulJennings 89 Brackensdale Avenue, Derby, DE22 4AF. Tel: 01332 343477. LIVESTOCK COORDINATOR Janine Fletcher, 125 Malvern Drive, North Common, Warmley, Bristol, BS30 8UY, Tel: 01179 604917, E- mail: [email protected]. LIBRARIAN David Robinson, Tel: 01908 653493, e-mail [email protected] COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Paul Taylor (PSG Website Master) E-mail [email protected]. Kristien Rabaey/Rob Simeons (European representatives), Cameron Die Konigin (PSG Competition Organiser), Ian Abercrombie , Vacancy (Holder & seller of PSG merchandise) [Please apply to Chairman]

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.3 The Stick Talk list is totally independent of the PSG, though many Stick Talk list members are also members of the PSG. If you want to join the list, e-mail: [email protected] It's totally free of charge; and if you do not like it, just send an e-mail asking to be taken off the list. It is also moderated by hard-working moderators, so it's secure, safe from abusive language, and there will be no spam. As a Stick Talk list member, you will receive one e-mail on most days. Typical issues raised are in the following short extracts - enjoy. (Some typical photos from Stick Talk often appear on The Colour Page). Stick Talk is e-mailed to around 330 subscribers in around 34 countries worldwide. By Mike Smith

GRUMPY INSECTS. On the subject of grumpy [stick] insects: yes I've had my share! The most' frightening' being a grumpy adult female H. dilatata (respect!). What I found helped me a lot with insects that detest direct handling, is to make sure they have some easily transportable items in their enclosure (for example pieces of bark or empty toilet-paper rolls for ground- dwelling insects and decorative leafless branches like grapevine for tree-dwelling insects) that enable you to lift the insect in and out of the enclosure while not being forced to handle it directly. In my experience, this minimizes stress and gets the insects gradually used to handling. So after a while you won't need the props anymore, as you have 'convinced' the insect that handling is not a threat anymore. Lisette (Netherlands).

PSG SUMMER MEETING. Where were you all at the PSG meeting?!! I know it was a lovely day and most of you were probably sunbathing :o) but come on! the PSG only meets twice a year, surely you could have dragged yourself away for the day...! On a serious note, the PSG meeting was fantastic as always, but numbers were a bit disappointing. To all the PSG committee members: many people start going on holiday in July and we always have a slightly weak turn out for the summer meeting - would it be at all possible to request that we maybe have the summer meeting at the very end of June? - hopefully before many of us start having vacation - this may make it easier for more people to attend. If possible, I would appreciate it if this could be discussed at the AGM - thank you! Natalie Ford (UK).

I too think the date of the PSG meeting should be brought forward slightly but for a different reason. The present meeting date is perhaps too close to another significant date in July and the events of 7/7. Television images and interviews, reconstructions, flood the media. To some, travel in London could be perceived as a risk and a disincentive to attend. Chris: I have been reading very good reviews of your talk on how insects breathe. Glad to hear the presentation was a success. Molra (Scotland).

Lovely to put faces to names, both people and sticks - BUT NEXT TIME I'M IN FRONT OF THE SWAP-SHOP TABLE I'LL BE WEARING ARM RESTRAINTS TO KEEP THEM DOWN BY MY SIDES! because I now have; Peruphasma schultei-6 x 2cm nymphs all fine and munching privet - though one moulted on the journey home with far too little room and has the cast skin attached to his antennae tips. Epldares nolimetangere - 2 x big females, a gang of nice orange males, and one perky tiny nymph. Aren't these smashing! Parapachymorpha zomproi - loads of these - a 'BOGOF' (buy one get one free) yoghurt tub full of 'em with the Touch Me Nots. Abrosoma johorensis. a trio. And a packet of Peruphasma rufipes eggs. But I was very incredibly tempted by the trio's - but I sat on my hands mouthing 'Enufs enuf!' - though if anyone ends up with oothecae I'm in the queue! So an entertaining weekend with the meeting and a Sunday with sheets of acetate, gauze and biscuit tins making cages - smashing! Chris R.

Well, yet another fantastic meeting! With super displays, a very interesting questions and answer session and a brilliant Livestock exchange, the meeting was a real success. My talk went well and I'll do a write up for the Newsletter for those unable to attend the meeting. Although there were fewer people than normal, there was a wide range of nationalities. Chris P. I must be getting jaded; much as I enjoyed the meeting I did feel we could have done a bit more. I am delighted to see others enjoyed themselves too, but if you have any ideas on how we could make the meetings even better, please let me know. Mike Smith (Essex, England).

CLEAN ANTENNAE. Has anyone ever noticed how stick insects with long antennae sometimes clean their antennae? It's quite an interesting process - they use the "claw" of their front foot to hook an antenna and bend it down to their mouth, they then slowly feed the antenna through their mandibles cleaning it as is passes. They then swap which front leg they used and repeat the process on the other side. The reason I mention it is because, whilst cleaning out my sticks at the weekend, I noticed one of my male Lamponius guerini doing something rather strange... he was manoeuvring his head in slow circles, deliberately dragging one antenna on the surface beneath him. Intrigued, I watched him to try and figure out what he was doing. On the side on which he was dragging his antenna underneath him, he was also missing a front leg - and it suddenly struck me that he was trying to clean his antenna but because he had no leg, he was unable to hook the antenna into his mouth! The poor thing...!! I wasn't sure if he would welcome help from an outside source, but I thought it was worth a try and so, as he tried again and dragged his antenna under him, I gently caught it and lifted it to his mouth - I was amazed when he took it straight away and happily started cleaning! As his leg wasn't there to stop him dropping his antenna, we had to go through this procedure a couple of times and I did my best to support his antenna whilst he cleaned it. Eventually he was satisfied that it was clean and we stopped, but it was such a fascinating process - and the most endearing thing to have him allow me to help him with such a delicate task! It was a really heart-warming experience. :o) Natalie Ford (UK)

HEATWAVE. I don't know if this would be appropriate for cooling sticks, but I've kept small fish tanks cool in very hot weather by aiming a fan across the surface (it's the evaporation that cools it) - I'm sure this would work for sticks if the cage is covered with a damp piece of cheesecloth and the fan aimed at that. Chris R. [I put a bottle of ice in front of a fan - Editor] THANKS. I am as always indebted to the contributors of Stick Talk for their kind permission to use their contributions and pictures in the PSG Newsletters to inform our PSG members and promote Sticktalk. Many thanks, Editor. September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.4 J^S^N A T I O N A L - |19'h THE INSECT WEEK I —to CRAWLED OVER WEXHAM! 25,h fnsect JUNE WEEK 2006 By Mike Smith (& Paul Brock)

Did you know 19-25 June 2006 was The Royal Entomological Society's National Insect Week? If not, then join the club! But it was not something Paul Brock let slip, when he plus his Wexham Court Primary School celebrated it in style. And he was aided by another PSG stalwart, Judith our Chairman.

But ]"11 let his school's press release (below) explain more. At the bottom of the page are photos of Paul's school event. I do not know who they all are, but it seems a great time was had by all. Press release and photos are from Paul Brock. [PS Paul asked me to request for a volunteer to help him on the Phasmida File, any takers please contact Paul. See Page 19 for more details.]

In celebration of National Insect Week, which runs from 19-25 June, Wexham Court Primary School in Slough is inviting insect enthusiasts to the Opening of our Peace / Wildlife Garden on Friday, 23 June, 2006. The school have cleared and made a pathway through an attractive wooded area, previously a derelict site, but home to interesting and birds. It is surrounded by a meadow, good for general Insect life. The Peace / Wildlife Garden will now be used for environmental studies. The children are hungry for knowledge on insects and excited to be undertaking many projects and research activities during National Insect Week. An exhibition of their work will be on shown on 23rd [June] and amongst other musical delights, year 6 pupils will be performing an interesting insect dance! Angela Hermon, Headteacher said "The whole school is delighted to be able to use this wonderful resource to enable all of the pupils to learn about the natural environment and enjoy the peace and tranquillity it provides in a busy town like Slough." The Garden will be opened by Judith Marshall, The Natural History Museum, London. Time: 10-30 to 11.30am. Free to interested visitors, pre-booking required. Contact Paul Brock [too late now].

The Royal Entomological Society's National Insect Week will once again engage with children and adults, scientists, teachers and nature lovers around the UK, raising awareness of insects, their diversity and the crucial role they play in our everyday lives. BBC Springwatch presenter Kate Humble will launch National Insect Week on Monday 19 June [2006] in the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Garden.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.5 Eurycantha calcarata zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBAssp. (PSG 44), Lucas, 1869 - OBSERVATIONS by Tom Low

Newly-hatched nymphs are brown in colour, but quickly turn green after the first moult. They can range between green, grey and brown but generally become darker as they reach adulthood. Lighter colours are present in individuals kept at higher humidity. I observed in a pair of females which had not been in the presence of males since the first couple of instars. Large numbers of eggs were laid, and took only 4 months to hatch; however, the hatch rate was very low, with only 3 nymphs hatching from over 100 eggs. Of these, two did not feed and therefore died. On the other hand the other behaved, fed and grew as normal.

Eggs are often laid in crevices in pieces of cork bark. Presumably this protects them as well as if they had been laid in compost. Due to their large size they are relatively easy to spot and remove; however it is easy to find hatchling nymphs in other tanks after the bark has been moved, and wonder how they got there! Therefore driftwood can be a better climbing accessory for adults in order to avoid this problem.

As the phasmids increase in size, if there is one which is even only 1 instar below the others, the larger insects will often nibble at the tarsi of the smaller ones, even if there is a plentiful supply of food Whenever the insects moult and the tarsi grow back, the larger ones only bite them off again. The insect therefore has problems clinging to branches, etc. and finding food. To avoid this I recommend keeping specimens of different instars separate.

This species will accept almost any food plant and are not at all fussy. As they grow they consume such large quantities of W* food that it can be hard to Bj provide even 2-3 individuals with a constant supply of leaves. In addition to the food plants listed on the PSG culture list (bramble hawthorn, ivy, oak, raspberry and rose) they have readily N taken strawberry, blackcurrant a andzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Cotoneaster.

As they consume such large qua 'eec ~g the adult insects while away on holiday, etc. can be a proble : _t:ci to this is to feed the insects large bean pods, if they are avaiij

longer. Due to the large size z: tr ;is' mouthparts, they are able to bite through the pods. As a result of t ;kness, the pods provide the insects with a more substantial meal and em resorting to attempts to eat each other!

This species has been noted for its aggressiveness, particularly adults. Males especially have large spines on their hind legs which can be dug painfully into a finger. Females too have rows of spines on their back legs. However, nymphs which have been handled from an early age appear to be much more docile and do not react aggressively when disturbed.

The overall life span is on average just under 1 year. In one adult female, unusual behaviour was noted 1-2 days before death. The insect became almost hyperactive, rushing very quickly around its terrarium and

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.6 attempting to climb the sides and lid. I have noted similar hyperactivity before death in an adult female mantid, although there seems no obvious cause for this as conditions were normal on both occasions.

Hides can be given to the phasmids, allowing them to shelter during the day. For nymphs, hollow toilet rolls are cheap and allow the nymphs to cling on. The disadvantage is that they do fall apart under very humid conditions or if sprayed, and sub- adult or adult insects will often eat them. Although this does the insects themselves no harm, they must constantly be replaced. Cork bark is more durable, although it can be difficult removing eggs from the crevices. Therefore for adults driftwood is most suitable as it allows the insects to climb, the crevices are not large or deep enough for egg-laying, and it does not suffer in the warm, humid conditions preferred by the insects.

Many thanks Tom for an excellent article. I have kept this species for many years, but I was still able to learn much from your remarkable observations. Please do keep such useful articles going in to the Newsletter. I hope to see more of your good work in the future.

Review of Kettering Show, 2nd April 2006 by Tom Low no. 2630

Admittedly this report is a little late as the show took place at the beginning of April! However I was unable to write one for the June newsletter and as no one else had sent one in, I decided to do so (better late than never!)

As far as phasmids are concerned, this year's show was the best of the last few years. Whereas in the past phasmids had been in short supply and often overpriced, this year a wide range of species were offered at very reasonable prices. The only disappointment was that the PSG were not present - although of course there was a good reason for this. Therefore I was left with the spare stock I had intended to give to the Group - thankfully Janine Fletcher, who was selling phasmids there, kindly took most of the stock, and another gentleman whose name I do not know - sorry! - took my swarm of Sungaya inexpectata. In exchange for these I received a pair of Haaniella dehaanii.

At the end of the day I also came away with a wonderfully marked male Heteropteryx dilatata, a Phyllium nymph (possibly celebicum?), which has since shed twice to reach adulthood, and three mantid nymphs, including an orchid mantis. However I could have easily bought more phasmids, with many other species, such as Eurycnema goliath, Phenacephorus cornucervi, Haaniella grayii, Parectatosoma mocquerysi and Paramenexenus laetus being available for sale.

Various papered and set specimens were also being offered, and although I did not buy any phasmids this year I did manage to obtain an enormous female Idolomantis diabolicum.

Overall the show was a success and on the phasmid front, certainly a step forward from previous years. Hopefully next year's show will continue this trend.

PHASMIDS IN THE NEWS by Mike Smith I wish to thank PSG member Anna Morell for drawing my attention to the British national newspaper The Independent of 1sl June. It included a report on the Pestival show in London, with a picture of an Et, and a mention of and quotes from Anna and Mike Strick who ran a PSG stall there. HOWEVER, despite many requests, the newspaper would not reply to give me permission to quote from it!

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.7 Respiration in PhaSmidS zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBAby ChHS Pull /For those that missed his Summer PSG Meeting Talk/

Introduction. At the 2006 PSG Summer Meeting, I gave an illustrated talk that looked in depth at the respiratory system of a Phasmid. I was asked by several members to produce an article on the subject, so that I could inform a wider audience and the following article is the result.

Purpose of this Article. The purpose of this article is for you to gain a greater understanding about how your insect's bodies function and how this can affect the behaviour you observe when keeping phasmids. This article specifically looks at the respiration system, i.e. 'breathing system' in phasmids. This is not a key point in the captive care of phasmids; however it is still a fascinating part of their anatomy. I also believe it is important to understand how your insects work if you are to be successful in culturing them. This article leads on nicely from the talk and article by Cameron Die Konigin, 'How to Build Your Own Phasmid' which focused on the morphology (external features) and basic anatomy of phasmids. Basic Anatomy. To begin this article, let's look quickly at basic phasmid anatomy. 1. Head 1. Head - The head has two main purposes 1) to hold the brain 2) to hold the sensory organs, i.e. eyes, antennae, and mouth parts. 2. Thorax - The thorax contains the muscles to power the six legs which are attached to the thorax, and (if the insect has them,) the wings. 3. Abdomen - The abdomen is used for digestion, reproduction and more importantly for this article, respiration. 4. Abdominal segments - the abdomen is made up of 10 segments, but usually only 7 are visible. The Respiratory system. Phasmids are aerobic organisms like us. This means they require oxygen to survive and use it to convert nutrients used in creating energy bonds of Adenosine Triposphate Production (ATP). Unlike us however, a phasmid's respiratory system is separate from their circulatory system We 3. Abdomen have our circulatory system carrying oxygen around the body in the blood; we also have nutrients being delivered to our cells at the same time, using the same system. In a phasmid however, there are two divided systems - one for carrying V oxygen, and one for carrying nutrients.

Respiratory System Diagram

1. Abdominal spiracles - Spiracles are small openings at the surface of the body that allow oxygen into the insect. Abdominal spiracles, as their name suggests are located along the abdomen.

2. Thoracic spiracles - Same as above, but are located on the thorax. 3. Lateral Longitudinal trunk - This runs centrally through the insect connecting all the spiracles together. 4. Ventral and Dorsal Longitudinal Trunks - These branch off the Latera trunk, and allow for quicker movement of oxygen around the body. 5. Tracheae- These stem off from all the trunks, gradually getting smaller and smaller until they are able to 'get into' the metabolising cells.

The Spiracles, As mentioned above re spiracles are small openings on the surface of t-e szzz~en and thorax which allow oxygen into the body. The sc -aces are located laterally along the thorax and the abdc~en. one pair on the thorax and seven pairs on the abdomen- one pair on each obvious abdominal Close-up of a segment. The purpose of the spiracles is to regulate air flow Spiracle into the body. They do this by using two small 'flaps' which operate like a valve. They contract to close and relax to open. The thoracic spiracles are specifically placed onto the thorax to provide extra oxygen to the large muscles that are used when the insect moves. These muscles need large amounts of energy to operate, especially when flying, so insects have developed thoracic spiracles to provide these with sufficient oxygen.

The Tracheae. The tracheae are a complex branching network of tubes, which could be likened to the roots of a plant. These aren't seen externally as they are deeply embedded inside the body. However, when an insect moults, the chitin lining that surrounds some of the larger tracheae are pulled out. These are the 'white threads that become apparent in the cast skin after a moult.

The Tracheole. At the end of each trachea is a tracheole. This is a specially developed part of the trachea, which provides a moist interface for the exchange of gases, between the gaseous atmosphere of the trachea and the cytoplasm (liquid), of the living cell. Oxygen is first dissolved into the liquid of the tracheole. It is then diffused from the tracheole into the cytoplasm of the adjacent cell. Carbon dioxide exits in the same manner.

The Taenidium. The taenidi is a reinforcing spiral coil of cuticle which provides support and flexibility to the trachea, used to September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.8 keep the trachea open and to stop kinking, which could restrict air flow. Throughout the body, the absence of taenidium creates collapsible air sacks, which are very advantageous to the insect - see "advantages". I Owcien particle How it works. Oxygen flows into the longitudinal trunk, through the spiracles via passive diffusion

2. The trachea keeps branching into smaller and smaller tubes, until they are able to get into the respiring tissues. The oxygen(02) then diffuses through the tracheole, and then into the adjacent cell. Here, within the cell, oxygen atoms are used to convert nutrients into the chemical bond energy of ATP.

3. At the same time, Carbon dioxide (C02), a waste product of cellular respiration, is expelled from the body in the same way the oxygen entered.

Active Ventilation. Smaller insects rely on passive diffusion and physical activity to move gases around the body. However, the larger the insect is (and phasmids are considered 'large insects'), the more difficult it becomes to get oxygen to all areas of the body. Therefore, larger insects deploy active ventilation. This is where the insect is able to 'pump' their abdominal muscles, whilst opening some spiracles and closing others, resulting in circulating gases around the body much quicker. They are effectively 'flushing' air through their system. This speeds up respiration, but is no where near the effectiveness of our lungs. This behavior can be observed in species like Eurycantha spp., Heteropteryx dilatata and large species. Advantages of the Tracheal

System. There are several - Path of oxygen particles Insects advantages of the tracheal tissue system. These are: _^g^ 1. Insulates the insect the air' \s act like a thermal i \ } jacket Respiring tissue I 02 ) __/ 2. Helps with successful

:t moulting - the air sacks (which Insect's I mentioned earlier) are able to tissue expand and collapse, helping to break the skin. This can be observed just before the moult, and the insect will appear to be pulsating.

3. Allows for growth between moults - as soon as an insect moults, their air sacks quickly fill up. Then between moults, the air sacks slowly deflate to allow for growth of internal muscles and organs.

4. Allows for the conserving of water. - during periods of high evaporation, the spiracles can be closed and the insects can live off the air stored in the air sacks for short periods of time. This prevents water escaping. 5. Under normal conditions, phasmids have a way of conserving water by controlling the pressure of the tracheae. Because carbon dioxide is much more soluble in liquids than oxygen, it can be retained in the liquid of the tracheole, whilst oxygen is still entering. This reduces the pressure of the tracheae. The insect then closes its Tracheole spiracles so that they are only slightly open, combined with the low pressure this creates a small gust of air coming into the trachea, meaning any water that would be escaping is blown back into the body by the 'wind'. Occasionally carbon dioxide does have to be released, and the spiracles have to be fully opened to do so. This inevitably allows some water to escape, but the spiracles are only opened for a short while and compared to if the spiracles were open all the time, this method of reduced pressure saves a lot of water. Disadvantages of the Tracheal System. 1. Little or no filtration ability - this is why it is important not to use air fresheners and other fumigating products around your insects, as they, unlike our lungs, aren't able to filter any unwanted gases out. 2. Combined with weight of exoskeleton it prevents insects gaining any great size- this is because the tracheal system becomes ineffective as the space needed to be filled with oxygen increases. As previously mentioned, insects don't have an effective way of moving oxygen around the body, meaning that above a certain size, passive diffusion no longer works and parts of the body wouldn't receive oxygen. Therefore, insects retain their small size to ensure they will be able to get oxygen to all parts of the body. When insects were evolving, it is believed there was a lot more oxygen in the air (I think possibly double?), so this was less of a problem, meaning insects got a lot bigger. September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.9 Largest Phasmids. Because of this, the largest insects don't get much bigger than 300mm (approx 12"). The largest phasmids are:

Phobeaticus kirbyi at 328mm (13") without legs, but 546mm (21.5") with legs. However, it doesn't claim the title of longest insect, as you measure a phasmid from the tip of its head, to the end of its abdomen, so legs aren't included.

The heaviest phasmid is Heteropteryx dilatata at 65g.

And the largest leaf insect is Phyllium giganteum at 133mm.

Conclusion. There we have it, the respiration system in a phasmid. I hope this article and the talk I gave have proved to be useful and informative. I should point out that the diagrammatical representations may not be 100% accurate, but are more or less correct.

Acknowledgements. I forgot to thank a few people who helped with my presentation, so I'm doing so now. Firstly I thank Cameron Die Kdnigin for the pictures, advice and support he gave for the talk and this article. I thank Tony James for helping set up on the day, and Judith Marshall for getting all the equipment ready. Lastly, I thank Mike Smith for his continued support throughout the duration of the preparation of the talk, answering all my questions and offering support... reading back through, you'd have thought I'd just won an Oscar!

References:

Brock, P D. (2000) A Complete Guide to Breeding Stick and Leaf Insects. TFH Kingdom.

Bradburne, R. Water Balance in Phasmid and Other Insects. Phasmid Studies volume 4, number 2

Whal a brilliant article, many thanks Chris. Not only did you have to prepare all this information for your excellent talk, you then had to do it all again - by popular demand - for the Newsletter. Your sterling efforts are much appreciated. (Sorry the pictures are in black and white - but see them in colour in the PSG Website).

Collecting Trips in Thailand by Richard Winter

I've been a member of the PSG for a number of years; if you are planning a trip to Thailand and would like to go on a trek, or just want some advice, feel welcome to contact me - my email address is richardinthailand(S)qmail.com. I recently moved to Thailand, based in Bangkok working as an English teacher, and I will be there for the next year or two. I love to go for treks in the forest and the mountains here, but most of my Thai friends aren't very keen. So if any of you are planning a holiday to Thailand, and wanted to go on a collecting trip with me, then I would be happy to help organize things and recommend some good places, like a weekend trip to Khao Yaai, an excellent National Park near Khorat which is only a few hours from Bangkok. If you were visiting during the Thai school holidays then I would be able to go on a longer expedition anywhere in the country. I don't drive, but I can speak Thai quite well Which might be useful. (Thank you Richard for an excellent offer- any takers?;.

Additions to PSG Culture List, August 2006 by Phil Bragg PSG 271 Lopaphus sp. Collected by Adam Walker in southern Thailand in April 2005. Females 100mm, males 70mm. Feeds on bramble, raspberry, hawthorn. Eggs and adults are easily confused with some of the other species of Lopaphus that are on the culture list PSG 272 Spiniphasma crassithorax (Zompro, 2001) They are from the central part of Vietnam, collected by Sergey Ryabov, Director of Tula Zooexotarium. Russia, approximately 3-4 years ago. Females 70mm, males 50mm; both are green and very spiny. Diet: ivy, bramble, oak, raspberry, hypericum. Lays quite large spherical eggs. PSG 273 Ramulus irregulariterdentatus (Brunner, 1907) Collected by Paul Brock from South Africa. Diet: bramble, raspberry. The culture is parthenogenetic. Females 95mm. PSG 218 named. PSG 218 is Clonaha luethyi (Zompro, 2000). September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.10 PSG Summer Meeting, 8th July 2006 by Mike Strick (based on an entry in Stick Talk)

Well, another PSG meeting comes and goes! We spent Friday evening packing unwilling insects into boxes and labeling them. Sadly, Katherine had to work on the Saturday, and so was unable to join me and Cameron as we headed into London. Our journey was remarkably smooth and we arrived in excellent time.

We later heard horror stories from several people about how the transport system had let them down, so we were probably very lucky. On entering the meeting room, we were greeted by a fantastic display of the museum's Haaniella & Heteropteryx species as well as corresponding live examples. There was ample opportunity to catch up with old friends and make some new ones before the meeting kicked off with an excellent talk on stick insect respiration by Chris Pull. He managed to keep his discussion feeling relatively informal and accessible, while still tackling the topic in remarkable depth. Chris's talk was followed by the Jungle Nymph Weigh-ln. There were only four entrants (and none quite matched the world record), probably because the species' slow development makes it hard to guarantee having a fully grown adult female at a

Finally came the livestock exchange. There was a good range of species, and nobody left empty handed. It was good to see some Peruphasma nymphs changing hands, suggesting that they are becoming more generally .available. Cameron DK ha^alsobrougnt alcrg some praying mantis nymphs ^L, i (not strictly phasmids, but very welcome!). We also had media coverage of the PSG meeting! Bridget Nicholls from Resonance FM made an unobtrusive appearance and interviewed several people. She was enthusiastic about the results and keen to repeat her visit at another meeting.

The meeting overall seemed slightly less well attended than previous events, perhaps due to transport problems, but this may actually have enhanced the atmosphere, as the day felt less hectic, and there was more chance to catch up and chat. Thanks as always go to all the organisers for an excellent day. I've included some photos for those not lucky enough to have made it.

PSG Summer Meeting, 8th July 2006 by Mike Smith Mike Strick gave an excellent overview of yet another great PSG meeting

(above). I'll try not to repeat too much of what he covered, but I will endeavour to just add a few things.

First item of the da)' was the committee meeting. We spoke of our Summer Meeting, problems with Pay Pal, my resigning the Editor post, that we had a volunteer for the Merchandise Officer Post, and a few other bits and bobs. All too soon it was 12.30. and we had to stop for the Summer Meeting to commence.

For me one highlight of the meeting was the talk by Chris Pull. He looked so relaxed, was obviously well versed in his subject, and his PowerPoint presentation was first class. (Sorry to embarrass you Chris).

Next was the Jungle Nymph weigh-in, all well organised by George Beccaloni. Only three people entered the competition (though I and others did bring in "underweight" specimens to make up numbers, and there was a very good spread). The weights of their four females were as follows:- 21.5g - John Smale, 39.2g - Cameron Diaz (spelling?), 35.8g and 42.9g - Sergi Romeu. Spain. Sergi was the winner with his 42.9g female - which had a body length (excluding legs) of 150mm. It was quite a bit lighter than the current world record: a 140mm female at London Zoo which weighed 51.2 grams (see Wood. G. L. 1982. The Guinness Book of Fads & Feats. 3rd Edition. Guinness Superlatives Ltd, Enfield.).

We then had a long lunch break, followed by the Panel of Experts' Questions & Answers. Asked if wild ginger was a suitable food plant for sticks, Ian Abercrombie said yes in Malaysia (especially

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.11 Heterpteryx), but not for the UK. Ian added it was best to feed a mixture of plants rather than one plant only. A query about the rules for importing/exporting sticks, was that each country has its own ideas, best to check them first, however there is normally no problem in the EU countries (but CITES species and "pests" may be a problem). Best way is to carry the stick(s) in a small box in your hand luggage. Is Evergreen Oak containing the disease rust a suitable food? It was thought that rust, mildew, and other diseases should be no problem. Why do "chunky" sticks eat stems rather than leaves? Perhaps to get to more fluid, or because the stem is a stable perch, or because a bitten stem notices more than the same size bite in a leaf. Posting sticks in the UK? This is legally allowable if they are in a suitable container - but many Post Offices do not realise this, so best not to label what it is, just say "Fragile". Where can you purchase a pop-up "port-a-bug pavilion"? Try Amazon. How do you keep sticks' drinking water clean of frass etc? Put in a sponge or oasis, or just change regularly. Perhaps surprisingly, Ian advised that, although disgusting, sticks actually prefer drinking dirty water! I hope I got the gist of most questions here, apologies for any errors/omissions.

Finally, we had the ever-popular Livestock Exchange. Where, as usual, members picked up some really excellent specimens - often a few more than they bargained for. It was interesting that I also came away with some baby scorpions, fruit beetles, and praying mantis nymphs! (No snails; ha ha).

And yes, Bridget Nicholls from Resonance FM was expected to do some interviews for a Natural History programme on their London local radio. Seems she was double-booked, and arrived just as the meeting ciosec Her microphone would not work at first, but eventually she did get around to recording a few interviews - does anyone know any more?

PLEA TO MEMBERS FOR THEIR COMMENTS ON FUTURE PSG MEETINGS by Mike Smith

As everyone will surely agree, our Summer PSG meeting was brilliant as usual we a ! had a great time, and can't wait for the next one. Now to maybe be a bit controversial. Dare I mention that I've often thought that this and future PSG meetings could be even better? I realise there are many members that like the present a z-zaz< traditional format of our meetings, and may not want some whippersnapper suggesting changes; but my suggest:- s :z -eec a the tried and tested traditional stuff - but merely to supplement it with additional ideas, particularly to fill some of the quieter periods, where some members in the past have seemed a little less than occupied. It should certainly give attenc rg ~e~cers their money's worth!

When I retire from editing the Newsletter I have many other things I want to do, but I should stiil rave some spare capacity eg to help introduce some new items to future PSG meetings. To do so I need to know v.-at fere is for new ideas, or if introducing them would actually drive any members away. So I'll list four of them below, and in the December Newsletter (the last with me as editor) I'd like to publish members', and committee members'. cor~e_ts a~z against them (I will do this anonymously - no names will be mentioned). I'd also I'd like to hear from you if you have any additional ideas, or any best practices you have seen elsewhere that we could use, and I will publish these too).

We could have a raffle. The one we had at our 25* anniversary meeting was very popular, with many members asking for another ever since. I realise that some people hate raffles and find it obtrusive and off-subject, but if enough members really do want it, and some are willing to donate prizes, it could be a fun way to help cover the meeting's costs. Also, perhaps we cou'd make it as non-invasive as possible (eg if the draw were made quickly and during an otherwise quiet moment).

We could have a phasmid-related quiz. Not an obtrusive one, with questions and answers called out. But say a question paper, available to those that want to take part, to complete at their leisure during quiet parts of the meeting. If it had multiple choice answers, they could be marked quickly and easily, and the winner announced at another quiet moment, nearer the end of the meeting. We could even consider charging say 10p to 20p for each entry to cover the winning prize(s) so the whole exercise could be self sufficient.

We could have videos. Either our own talks could be videoed (if it did not put off the speaker) for say sale to members that cannot attend, or for use by Phasma, etc. Or we could show videos of other's talks, eg from Phasma meetings. The videos would not be of a professional standard, but they could still be much better than nothing at all. (Although receiving talks is very popular, it is still very difficult to find speakers for our meetings - a video could be the next best thing).

We could have 1 or 2 stalls. One a sales person selling insect-keeping equipment (as we see at shows), and/or we could have a stall for members' merchandise (eg home-made stick insect cages) to be sold, giving a service and some interest to PSG members, and possibly a bit of income for the PSG. We sell books and PSG merchandise at our meetings already, this would just be an extension of that.

I realise that permission may be required for some ideas, and that this may not be forthcoming, but we can cross that bridge when we get to it. Also, while I am willing to assist in introducing favourable ideas, I cannot do it all alone, so I also need willing volunteers to assist with them, please let me know if you are willing to help (eg to compile and/or mark a quiz paper, to set up a raffle table and/or sell raffle tickets, to take a video of talks or copy such videos).

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.12 An Illustrated Database Of Phasmida In The Natural History Museum, Vienna by Paul D. Brock

Background: A comprehensive study on the Phasmida collection in the Natural History Museum, Vienna was made in August 2005, funded by a SYNTHESYS grant. The collection is the most important in the world for phasmid .

Objectives: To produce a user friendly illustrated database (as at August 2005) allowing flexibility in publication, both in-house and externally, such as website. To benefit researchers on Phasmida, especially those unable to visit the Vienna Museum to study the collection.

Completed work: An Excel spreadsheet, summarising the whole collection, available for use of visitors to the museum / serious researchers (apply to the museum). A series of high quality photographs. Approval has now been obtained to make all pictures of type material available on the Phasmid Species File Online, expected to be fully operational again by the beginning of 2007. For pictures of specific non-type material, apply to the museum. In pictures copyright Naturhistorisches Museum Wien.

Using the end product: The Excel spreadsheet includes comprehensive details on each species in the collection, using the following sequence, with fields for each relevant area: a) collection number; b) current combination: , species, subspecies, author, date; c) same but as named in the collection (and in monograph); d) Brunner & Redtenbacher monograph (1906-08) page number; e) current country name, locality name; f) type details: type m (male), m juv. (juvenile), f (female), f. juv., also for non-type material, ref. to alcohol; g) photograph references m (male), f (female), juv. (nymph), eggs and labels. Collection numbers recorded for each species are as used in the collection. Numbers are generally unimportant in the Vienna entomology collections, because specimens are usually moved around. However, in the phasmids, these are little changed since Brunner and Redtenbacher's monograph, hence are worth recording. They run in sequence in line with the monograph. An example of museum labels above specimen(s) is given below.

The labels (fig 4) refer to the allocated collection number [1029] and a collecting locality / number linked to handwritten registers, which occasionally give more information.

Not all species have collection numbers; some species have been added since the monograph and not been allocated numbers. Data labels beneath pins usually provide all the information needed without resorting to examining registers. In some cases, specimens have been obtained from other museum collections, such as in the example (fig 6).

In most cases, the numerous photographs of type material (clearly distinguished in the spreadsheet) include dorsal views, other key features such as genitalia and data label(s). Fewer photographs are included in the case of non- type material. As mentioned in Brock (1998), the actual data is often more detailed than recorded in Brunner & Redtenbacher's monograph. Details may be found in Brock (1998) or from the photographs. Photographs of material in alcohol are not included and numbers of specimen(s) not given, except for primary type material. The current combination is given in accordance with Otte & Brock (2005) and the Phasmida Species File Online. In several cases, I have corrected misidentifications.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.13 Photographs A particularly useful feature is the ability to examine the contents of each cabinet drawer, in addition to detailed pictures of species.

Acknowledgements A Synthesys grant, reference AT- TAF-688, for Paul Brock to visit Vienna for two weeks in August 2005 and document the collection. Dr Ulrike Aspock and colleagues, Andrea Larnhof for making Synthesys arrangements and the late Dr Alfred Kaltenbach (Naturhistorisches Museum Wien), Dr George Beccaloni (The Natural History Museum, London) and David Eades (Illinois Natural History Survey) for advice on the database, Richard Mallet (Wexham Court Primary School, Slough) for IT advice.

Summary / Technical details In all, there are 3,661 images, including 237 of cabinet drawers. Most were taken at f.22 using a Konica Minolta Dynax D7 (6.1 megapixels), FIG 7 EXAMPLE CABINET DRAWER with Minolta macro-flash; those of cabinet drawers were taken with the camera's built-in flash. An external caddy with 40Gb of memory, was used to store pictures, prior to editing.

References Brock, P. D. 1998. Catalogue of type-specimens of Stick- and Leaf-Insects in the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (Insecta: Phasmida). Kataloge der wissenschaftlichen Sammlungen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 13(5). 72 pp. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien. Brunner von Wattenwyl, K. & Redtenbacher, J. 1906-1908 Die Insektenfamilie der fgg j Phasmiden. W. Engelmann, Leipzig. Otte, D. & Brock, P. D. 2005. Phasmida Species File. Catalog of the Stick and Leaf Insects of the world. 2nd Edition. Insect Diversity Association at the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. 414pp. Phasmida Species File Online http://phasmida.orthoptera.org/' Unpublished 1992 list of phasmid material in alcohol. Initiated by Dr Aspock.

Phasmid Word Scramble! By Chris Pull, put your answers on dotted line (answers on Page 19). 1 seictnkcsit 2 armbleb Seeking a New Editor for the PSG Newsletter 3 gvaua 4 canarpahi Yes, I really am (sort of reluctantly) giving up my editorship after the December 5 sfras Newsletter. I have had a wonderful time as editor of the PSG Newsletter for over 5 6 urpe years, and particularly want to thank Paul Brock and Judith Marshall for giving me my 7 pesaapurhm ... initial chance, and then offering me every assistance. Editing the Newsletter has been 8 suqeeurilxc jolly hard, time-consuming work - but a labour of love with many rewards, eg I got to see 9 aov all the articles first! I may not have got it right every time, some may not have liked my 10 tpea style and my seeking to make stick-keeping more fun, however I am pleased to have 11 jaav attracted many compliments anyway. My special thanks go to all the contributors I've 12 asuauisrc hassled for articles over the last 5 years or so - you all did me and the Newsletter proud\ 13 scaliepr But I've taken the Newsletter as far as I can, and I now I need some time to myself, so I 14 asbah will let another grasp the nettle and hopefully take the Newsletter to even greater heights. 15 pircmeyhu 16 yuutselpac Please do not be shy to express an interest in this post - as we really must have 17 hdseppmaosau. someone to take it on. It may help if I gave some general information about the post 18 pnymh (and if you want to know more, please do not hesitate to contact me). You do not 19 atohxr have to be an experienced editor; I would say the most important attribute for any prospective 20 iaelaalhn volunteer is just to be enthusiastic about the Newsletter. If you have enthusiasm, you are three quarters of the way there. Ideally, you should also own a computer, be on e-mail, have CD burning facilities, be fairly computer literate, and have reasonably good English. (Final drafts are checked by Judith, so no silly mistakes will show you up. The printers and authors are very helpful too). You can use any application eg Publisher, Word, PowerPoint, PageMaker, etc, as you wish. I personally used Word for it for the first 4 years, and recently changed to PowerPoint. I will also offer the new editor every assistance; and give them copies of past Newsletters, templates, etc, and I hereby relinquish any copyright I hold on any aspect of any Newsletter I've been involved with.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.14 Defensive Tactics In Phasmids by Chris Pull

Introduction. Phasmids are famously known for their stunning camouflage, which has definitely earned them a place in the insect hall of fame. However, phasmids have a mass array of both passive and active defences that are used extensively to deter potential predators. Although many of you will be aware of these defensive behaviours, either reading about them or experiencing them for yourselves, it is still an intriguing subject which I have decided to write about here.

Primary and Secondary. Phasmid defences are split into two groups: primary and secondary, (or passive and active.) There are several different types of defences and each species of phasmid may feature only one or two, or even all of these. They range from simple defence such as camouflage (primary), to irritant sprays (secondary,) which, in some species, can cause temporary blindness! Below I have listed all phasmid defences, starting with primary, giving a description of the defence and examples of species which use them.

Primary Camouflage. As previously mentioned, this is what phasmids are best known for, hence their common name 'Stick Insects'. Camouflage, combined with being nocturnal, is the main form of defence in phasmids. I cannot think of one phasmid that doesn't resemble some form of vegetation. Even species like Oreophoetes peruana, which stick out like a saw thumb against their food plant, have a stick-like body structure. Some are very beautifully coloured to create the illusion that they have lichen growing on them, such as Pseudodiacantha macklottii. Species generally conform to look either like sticks, leaves or bark. Some phasmids have taken to the extreme, for example leaf insects, (Phyllium sp.) These have a broad flattened appearance, and the veins on their wings look exactly like the veins on a leaf. Some even have small 'bite' marks on them, to create the illusion they have been nibbled at.

A lot of phasmids have a stick-like body structure, although some more than others. This is easily seen in members of the Phasmatinae subfamily. Legs are very long and slender, and so are their bodies. Males of Ramulus nematodes are exceptionally thin, being only a couple of millimeters thick. It's hard to imagine how all their insides are able fit inside such a small space! Members of the Lonchodinae subfamily are very twig-like indeed. They are able to cling with the legs snapped shut held close to their body, whilst bent in a 'zigzag' fashion for hours, appearing exactly like a snapped off stick. Some, like Phenacephorus species, also have small appendages and bumps all over their body, to look like I a gnarled twig. A few species that look like pieces of bark included Eurycantha, Dares and Haaniella. These will lay motionless on leaf litter or clinging to bark, perfectly blending in. Eurycantha and the recently brought into culture, Canachus alligator, look especially like bark as they have a flattened stocky appearance, usually with spines along their edges, which adds to the disguise even more.

The photos below show an Extatosoma tiaratum hatchling and a leaf cutting Leptomyrmex ant, which both originate from Australia. It's believed Extatosoma have developed this clever disguise to ensure the safety of hatchlings and ova during incubation. Extatosoma ova have a small knob on the top of the capitulum, which has a high fat content, attracting the ants to it. It is also thought it gives off an aroma specific to the Leptomyrmex ant. The ant, once having found the ovum, takes the egg down into the nest, where it is left unharmed until it hatches. This means the egg is cleaned regularly by the ants, so it's protected from mites, mould and other animals from making a meal out of it. When it hatches, it would immediately be picked out and killed by the ants if it wasn't disguised as one of them. Ants also have an acute sense of smell, so I'd assume the hatchling also smells like the Leptomyrmex ant. The hatchling then escapes the nest and quickly climbs the nearest food plant. I think I'm right in saying these ants have a nasty bite or spray, so the hatchling would also be protected outside the nest, as other animals would be wary of Leptomyrmex ants. Autotomy. Autotomy is the ability to shed legs when disturbed. This is mainly a feature used to prevent the insect being caught-up when moulting, as long legs can often get caught in the old skin. However, phasmids also use this method of 'throwing-off legs to deter or escape a predator. This can be a real pain for phasmid keepers, as legs can be cast off even with gentle handling. Species which use this mechanism usually have very long or delicate legs. Pharnacia, Ramulus, Lopaphus, Sipyloidea, Asceles, Carausius, and Phyllium are all species

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.15 that I have had use autonomy in my collection. It is more common in stick-like species and L.Caesius - note is rare to happen in subfamilies like Heteropteryginae, Eurycanthinae, and Dataminae- missing front leg generally species with short or stout legs.

Catalepsy. Catalepsy is often observed in phasmids. This is where the insect will remain stock-still with its legs held close to the body. It will remain motionless even when picked up and held. This is combined with their effective camouflage, meaning the insect is not seen. This behavior can be observed in Dataminae, Necrosciinae, Lonchodinae species and others. Thanatosis. Thanatosis is the feigning of death. The insect will drop from its perch and stay static where it falls for several hours. Occasionally when picked up, a phasmid will 'scuttle' around on their legs making it difficult to hold them, resulting in them dropping to the ground where they practice thanatosis. Lopaphus caesius is one species that often does this. Other species which use thanatosis include Lonchodinae sp. and Phasmatinae sp.

C.morosus (gynandromorph), using catalepsy Body spines. Many species of phasmid have spines protecting themselves from being preyed upon. Some species have only a few short spines, but species like Spiniphasma crassithorax and Epidares nolimetangere have massive spines in ratio to the size of their bodies. I should imagine that putting pressure onto these spines would cause bleeding although I don't think I'll be trying this any time soon. Some species have no spines whatsoever, and it's usually species that live closer to the ground that have them. Presumably they would encounter more predators there than in the tree canopies and they also lack the ability to fly to safety. All members of the Heteopteryginae subfamily have large spines. Obriminae and Eurycanthinae species have smaller, but still prominent spines Secondary Aggression. When we talk about phasmic aggression, we are usually referring to the aggressive use of spines. The above mentioned species, E.nolimetangere and S.crassithorax, although having very large spines, do not use them aggressively. All members of the Hete'opteryginae are aggressive, and Heteropteryx dilatata are well known for being very defensive. Generally, spines are ****** used in conjunction with hissing noises and vivid colorations to make an impressive threat display. One example would be Eurycnema goiiath. These put on an 'The pincushion'- impressive threat display, rubbing their wings together to achieve a hissing sound, S.crassithorax, whilst exposing the crimson of their forewings ano s.vp nc in a pinching action with ^ adult pair their spiny back legs. Haaniella and Heteropteryx put on a similar display. Male Eurycantha are well known for the formidable spine located on their hind femurs. These are also Spur on fern used in a pinching motion to try and stab the predator. I've never been unfortunate to have been pinched by a Eurycantha, but I'm told it hurts and usually draws blood. Some phasmids, notably Eurycantha, Heteropteryx and Phasma gigas are also said to bite, apparently drawing blood, although I've never observed this.

Vivid colouration. This can also be referred to as 'flash colouration', in the case of winged insects which have the ability to display brightly coloured wings, startling predators allowing the insect time Threat to escape, (such as the above E. goiiath. display in displaying scarlet forewings). Probably the best E.goliath example of this would be Pseudodiacantha macklottii. These have bright orange hind wings, with a black stripe and white dots. Although, in my culture these insects are very reluctant to display these wings and only once have I had one do so. It should be noted that these wings are useless for flying, as are many other species that have wings; they only use them for defence. Phenacephorus khaoyaiensis and Peruphasma schultei are both species which have small red wings, used to scare off predators. Pseudophasma rufipes also uses this method, but have full flight capability. Oreophoetes peruana are brightly coloured as a warning that they are toxic if eaten, as are Anisomorpha species (see below).

Haaniella species often have coloured patches on their underneath. In the case of H dehaanii these are turquoise blue. The insect, when disturbed, will release its back legs from its perch, exposing these colours, whilst hissing and trying to pinch the attacker with its spiny legs.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.16 Production of Sound. As previously Beautiful wings of mentioned, pftasmids have the ability to P.macklottii produce sound, as part of an effective threat display. It is believed that sound is only used as a defence and not for any other reasons, unlike cicadas which use sound to attract a mate or male crickets which use it to defend their territory, as well as attract mates. Sound is made by quickly rubbing the wings together, which produces a rattled hiss. I believe this is the only reason species like Haaniella posses wings, as they are useless for flight and bear no vivid coloration. Often, whilst cleaning out my insects an insect will produce this sound making me jump. This happens a lot when handling male Parectatosoma mocquerysi. They seem quite content walking around on my hand until they open their rudimentary wings, producing a very loud clicking sound, not unlike a hand-held oven-hob lighter! Phyllium species are also reported to produce sounds by rubbing the segments of their antennae together; although I have never heard mine do so.

Foul or irritant scent/spray. A lot of phasmids have the ability to produce a scent, although it may not always be noticeable. It is very evident however in species of the Pseudophasmatinae subfamily, and they have been dubbed the common name of 'Sprayers' because of their notoriously foul scents. Of all the subfamily, Anisomorpha species are considered the worst. These are able to aim their spray and use their glands - which are located just behind the head on the pronotum - independently. They have been known to cause temporary blindness in severe cases. The USA and Belize is home to these insects, and they gather in clusters under pieces of wood and other suitable hides, meaning locals often get a nasty surprise when cleaning the yard! I read of one case where a dog was sprayed by an Anisomorpha severely, and after a trip to the vets (who advised they killed any Anisomorpha found,) he's owner went on a killing spree, treading on as many as he could find.

However, I particularly like Anisomorpha species, and it is real shame they seem to be non-existent in culture, (looking back through the first newsletters, they appeared to be very common). I have managed to get my hands on some A.paromalus and I'm working on getting some A.buprestoides and A.ferrugina as well. Malacomorpha species are nearly as bad as Anisomorpha. I have a rather large colony of M.jamaicana, which pile themselves into one corner of their cage. When it comes to cleaning them out, I'm almost overwhelmed by the strong peppery smell that is released and I end up sneezing a lot!

I was speaking to one PSG member from Germany, (whose name I forget,) about the potency of P.acanthonota's spray. He said that if fed on bramble, their spray is rather mild, if fed on Privet it becomes worse, but if fed on Lilac you have a substance to rival mace! So it would appear phasmids get their toxicity from the plants they are feeding on. Privet and Lilac. I believe are known to be slightly poisonous, as are ferns, which make the stable diet of Oreophotes peruana. This species also releases a fluid from its pronotum glands, being milky-white and containing quinoline. This stings badly if it gets into cuts, such as the scratches obtained when collecting bramble. Parectatosoma mocquerysi releases a liquid that turns your hands a red-brown colour; however it doesn't hurt or seem to have any adverse affects on humans. I believe this is because it's being fed on a substitute food plant, (hypericum,) which may not contain the required chemicals to produce a potent spray.

Flying and jumping. Some phasmids are able to jump backwards to escape a predator. Members of Necrosciinae and Aschiphasmatinae posses and practice this ability readily when disturbed. A lot of phasmids can fly, or use wings to break their fall should they drop from their food plant. It is thought that wings first evolved in insects to increase the breeding ground and chances of finding a mate. Often only the male of a species can fly, meaning he can search a larger territory for females to mate with. However wings are a good defence as well, as they can be used for escaping predators by simply flying away. Species which often fly away when disturbed include Pseudophasma, Asceles, and Sipyloidea.

Predators of phasmids. Predators of phasmids include praying manlids and other insects, spiders, lizards, small mammals and probably many others. There is a good photo on the Phasma website (under 'Foto's') of a spider preying on a stick insect, which I think was taken by Dr. Francis Seow-Choen in Singapore. There was a brief article in a previous newsletter, about using a Bactrododema phillipsi to see how effective its camouflage was, against some Vervet monkeys - it failed and the monkeys quickly ate it, so it would seem fair to say they would probably eat stick insects in the wild. My chameleon also made a nice meal of a few Carausius morosus when I was over run with them a few years back. I have also heard of naturalized phasmids in Britain being used by mother birds to feed their chicks. Phasmids are often used as food for captive lizards and also praying mantids, so this suggests they would also be eaten by these animals in the wild as well.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.17 Conclusion. As you can see, phasmids are well equipped for life in the wild. Using camouflage, spines; blinding sprays etc. they appear to be regular little mercenaries! On a serious note, I haven't painted a very nice picture of some phasmids, particularly Pseudophasmatinae, but these insects are absolute stunners to keep and make stick-keeping that little bit more interesting. So I do hope some of you will consider them the next time they appear on the Livestock table.

Acknowledgments. I thank Brian Cox of Sticktalk for letting me use his photo of the Leptomyrmex ant. References. Baxter, R.N. (2002) Rearing Stick and Leaf Insects. Chudleigh Publishing Bragg, P.E. (2001) Phasmids of Borneo. Natural History Publications (Borneo) Attenborough. D. (2005) Life in the Undergrowth. BBC Books. www.sticktlist.com. http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/walkinqstick.htm - an interesting article on Anisomorpha buprestoides, giving an account of being sprayed in the eyes. (Again, these are a lovely insect to keep...) www.phasma.eu - for photo of stick insect-eating spider, on page 10 of the 'Foto's' section

Many thanks Chris for your usual top-quality, well-researched, article, which must have taken ages to put together. The black and white pictures do not do it justice - please look at this article in the members area of the PSG website, and see it (and the Newsletter) in colour.

PESTIVAL by Mike StrickzyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA [Apologies, this is a tight fit - it arrived at the last minute, Editor]

Pestival is a new arts and invertebrates festival held at the London Wetlands Centre. The unusual concept of celebrating "insects in art and the art of being an insect" was the brainchild of Bridget Nicholls, who worked for two years to make the inaugural event a reality. Boasting contributions from a host of well and lesser known artists, the art exhibition included installations, sculpture, paintings and illustrations, as well as a novel display allowing two splendid orb spiders to create their own art in web form. There were also live performances by poet John Hegley and David Rothenberg, playing his clarinet to microphoned crickets. Always a pleasure to see, the fantastic Insect Circus was also in residence for several days with their amazing display of fantasy circus art, mechanical displays and live performances.

Against this backdrop, Katherine, Sticktalk's Anna, and I were invited to bring along some of our invertebrates for the opening Bank Holiday weekend. Having done numerous school visits, we were confident we could handle dealing with interested members of the public, and rounded up an assortment of phasmids, tarantulas, scorpions, millipedes, cockroaches etc. From the very moment we unpacked the first box onto the tables, we were surrounded by people. The interest did not subside for the next six hours and we barely had time to breathe let alone stop for lunch.

Public reaction to the animals is always interesting, varying from fascination and wonder to outright horror and disgust. For many people, their only previous exposure to large invertebrates has been as the 'bad guys' in films. This initial bad press is compounded by myths, folklore and urban legends. In most cases, a little explanation is all it takes to turn an initial bad reaction into interest. People also benefit hugely from the experience of actually encountering the subject of their fears 'face to face' in a controlled situation. It is very satisfying to see years of misinformation and fear being swept away by the simple act of handling a stick insect for the first time.

One of our most rewarding encounters was the successful conversion of a pair of chronic arachnophobes. We noticed the two women hanging back from the table in dread and eventually persuaded them to come closer. It transpired that they were both petrified of all "creepy crawlies", spiders in particular, and were visibly shaking. After a long conversation, we had them holding one of our smaller phasmids. Some time and much talk and reassurance later and they were able to touch the foot of Moe, our best-natured tarantula. Eventually, they were happily taking pictures of each other holding the spider.

We had approached both the PSG and the British Tarantula Society (of which I am also a member) some time in advance to request publicity material. The BTS were able to supply a good range of merchandise, which generated a lot of interest and some sales (we could almost certainly have sold a lot more had we been able to free someone to concentrate purely on merchandise). Unfortunately, the PSG was unable to provide anything as there was some confusion as to exactly who currently holds the merchandise supplies. We were able to print off some application forms from the website, but other than that, I feel that the group missed out on a good promotional opportunity. [Good point, but we hope to have a PSG Merchandise Officer soon - currently it is vacant].

Although originally booked for one day, our invertebrates were so popular that we were invited back for a further two days. Since we had enjoyed it so much, we barely hesitated to accept, despite it being an exhausting experience!

I'd like to make some suggestions to anyone considering taking on a similar show.

It is definitely important to have several people in your team. The safety of the animals is of course September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.18 the primary concern, so it is essential that someone is constantly supervising each creature's contact with the public. It can prove very difficult to do justice to someone's questions while rescuing a wandering phasmid from someone else's hair. As I mentioned, it can get very tiring too and everyone will need the occasional break. We were lucky enough to have several knowledgeable friends drop by to help out, as well as our son Cameron.

We found that having some exuviae available was invaluable for pointing out anatomical details, particularly on the spiders which don't take kindly to being flipped over to show their ventral surface. It also amazes the huge proportion of people who are completely unaware that invertebrates shed their skin. Next time I plan to have some large prints of macro photographs on hand as well.

Hand-outs with contact details were useful, along with the BTS and PSG membership details. We loosely themed our display to provide talking points (little did we know in advance how unnecessary this would be in this case!). Concentrating on camouflage, we had a tank of Phenacephorus cornucervi displayed amongst dry driftwood (along with bramble of course) and a display of Phyllium sp. This proved very successful as people immediately appreciate camouflage, perhaps because they enjoy having been fooled by an apparently empty cage (we had several people helpfully point out that something must have escaped).

A gravid Eurycantha calcarata was the centre of a lot of attention as we had a small pot of substrate available when she obviously needed it. We were then able to position her in clear view while she buried her ova. It is often surprising how big an impact a species that to us seems fairly ordinary can have on members of the public who are less experienced. While the first impulse is to take only the biggest and most impressive species, sometimes the most popular are in fact the smaller and more approachable' ones.

The next Pestival is planned for 2008 and I'll certainly hope to be involved again. Until then, the Wetlands Centre itself is a great day out, beautiful, well appointed and friendly with a lot for kids to do and a huge range of wildlife to see.

Culture List Survey Results. Answers to Word Scramble, page 14. The results of the Culture List Survey from the last Newsletter are 1 stick insect 6peru 11 Java 16eucalyptus now out, and apparently are very interesting. On behalf of Phasma, 2bramble 7peruphasma Mcarausius Mpseudophasma Kristien thanks everyone who took part by returning their questionnaire. Unfortunately, the results run to 19 pages, and it was 3guava 8quercus ilex 13spiracle 18nymph not practical to include them in or with this Newsletter. We shall be Apharnacia 9ova 14sabah 19thorax exploring a way forward on this, meanwhile Phasma are sending the results to all their members, & PSG members who returned their form. 5frass 10peat 15hypericum 20haaniella

WANTS & EXCHANGES Livestock Co-ordinator, Jan Fletcher 125 Malvern Drive, North Common, Warm ley. Bristol, BS30 8UY. PSG MERCHANDISE FOR SALE Tel: 01179 604917, e-mail:[email protected]. Pens 40p each + P&P Stickers 60p each + P&P Janine advises that she currently has a surplus of the following ova (eggs) PSG Nos: 1, 14, 15, 19, 44, 52, 55, 73, 85, 100, 101, 120, 145, 169, Car Window Stickers 60p each + P&P 173, 174, 181, 182, 203, 208, 224, 230, 236, 237, 240, 250, 256, 260, 263, T-Shirt Oreophoetes peruana £6.50 + P&P 264, 265, 266, 268, Pseudophasma perezii, Bacteria sp. Panama, T-Shirt Aretaon asperrimus PSG No 118 £6.50 + P&P Parapachymorpha spiniger, Neohirasea japonica, & Calynda sp. Nymphs: P.S.G. nos; 18, 112, 120, 125, 165, 183, 224, 255 & Sceptrophasma sp. T-Shirt Phyllium bioculatum PSG No 10 £6.50 + P&P PSG Stickers (size of CD) 60p + P&P Thailand. ALL ABOVE AVAILABLE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN, Judith The following ova were currently wanted by members (if you can Back copies of Newsletters for sale from Paul Brock, £2 or spare any of these, please send them to Janine): PSG Nos: 2,10,12, £1.50 before Sept 2001, inc P&P 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 31, 35, 59, 60, 69, 70, 72, 76, 80, 81, 82, 83, Books on Stick Insects available at PSG Meetings 84, 85, 110, 111, 112, 117, 125, 126, 127, 128, 154, 177, 186, 190, 193, 199, 235, 247, 258 &262.

Members' Area of PSG WEBSITE (www.stickinsect.orq.uk): The following User Name and Password give access to the Members' Only area of the PSG Website. Among other privileges, it allows the viewing, and downloading, of this PSG Newsletter (and Phasmid Studies when available) in full colour.

(Case Sensitive) USER NAME: PSGmemberS PASSWORD: 22CarausiUS (Apologies for recent entry problems).

HELP WANTED! Any Budding Taxonomists? By Paul Brock

Do you have good IT Skills? Interested in phasmid classification? Ever wanted to work on a world-class database? If this sounds like you, there is an opportunity for a volunteer to assist me (Paul Brock) in transferring the very latest data on phasmids to the Phasmida Species File http://phasmida.orthoptera.org/ - the definitive source of information about stick insect names.

Ideally you will be based in the U.K., have your own computer at home, with broadband access, and have at least a few hours a week to help out. Tasks include adding photographs of type specimens to the database, and entering new descriptions and publication details. The database is based on the Orthoptera Species File (see http://os ), considered to be one of the most sophisticated on-line taxonomic catalogues available for any group of animals. You do not need to be a taxonomist, but this work is guaranteed to improve your knowledge and expertise on phasmids, as well as helping to provide a valuable resource for all phasmid reseachers. Apply to Paul Brock, 40 Thorndike Rd, Slough SL2 1SR or e-mail [email protected]

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.19 The Stick-insects of Great Britain, Ireland and the Channel Isles by Malcolm Lee, Gullrock, Port Gaverne, , . PL29 3SQ INTRODUCTION: Since my 1998 paper in Down, at the north of St Mary's. A second report from another Phasmid Studies (Lee 1998), many more reports of garden here was received in 2005. Tresco, Isles of Scilly. Brian Laney was able to stay a few days on Tresco in 2002, and again in naturalised phasmids have been received. Amongst 2004. With more time available for searching the island than the the important records are two new naturalised species for our usual day visitor, he carried out extensive research and confirmed islands - gallica in Jersey, and Bacillus rossius on this species is now widely distributed outside of the Abbey Gardens Tresco. The latter species has previously been recorded from two (see fig. 1). gardens of phasmid enthusiasts, the result of an accidental spillage of eggs, but the Tresco insects may have arrived on introduced Mediterranean plants. inermis has now been found in Devon and in Sussex, the latter record the progeny of insects collected in Cornwall in 1999. now has a second confirmed UK location, in the north of St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. This is the adjacent island to the only other site outside New Zealand, in the Abbey Gardens, Tresco. The true is also present in four Cornish locations, in one of which it may have arrived on New Zealand plants.

At 30th June 2006 there are 662 naturalised phasmid records in 103 Block species locations. Most of these records have come to me via the Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, operated by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, who ensure any phasmid enquiries are promptly referred for follow up. Searching for phasmids in the field is particularly difficult, and I must mention the stalwart efforts of Brian Laney who has provided over 100 records at 32 locations since 2002, and Steve Guy who has sent 21 records at 12 locations in the last two seasons. Ren Hathway and Martin Goodey have also done sterling service checking out the phasmids found in the Isles of Scilly.

SPECIES REPORTS: My earlier papers included details for every location. There are now so many sites that this report will only give detailed information for selected places, although an appendix summarising each location is at the end of this paper. Over the years, several reports have been made of casuals surviving outdoors or under glass, and it may be useful to include these here.

Prickly Stick-insect Acanthoxyla geisovii (Kaup) - PSG 80

88

Fig. I: Distribution of A. zascvn sightings outside the Abbey Gardens

DEVON: Brixham. Colin Bath had a 1986 report from here, but as he felt it doubtful this site was not in my 1998 paper. Six reports have been received since 2001. confirming this as a valid location. Paignton. The first UK phasmid was sent from Paignton to the Natural History Museum by a Mrs M. Arbuthnot in 1909 (Kirby 1910). Following publicity about his 1952 re-find of this species, Claude Rivers received a letter from a Mrs Doel. As a 10 year old, Acanlhoxyla geisovii distribution in Cornwall and Devon at June 2006 she and her father brought back New Zealand plants to Paignton as deck cargo on the maiden voyage of the ship Corinthic in May CORNWALL: Falmouth. Two confirmed nearby reports of this 1903. She remembered her teacher was a Miss Arbuthnot living in species in Basset Street, following accidental spillage of eggs in Dartmouth Road. Shortly after, they moved from Gerston Road, one garden. Mawnan Smith. Steve Guy located a specimen of A. Paignton to London and the plants were left behind. The 1901 geisovii here on 27th October 2005. A. inermis is widespread in census website corroborated Mrs Doel's story, as there were just the village, but this is the first Prickly Stick-insect found here. St two Arbuthnots in Paignton - 10 year old Miss Caroline Arbuthnot, Mary's, Isles of Scilly. In 2000, John Widgery sent a photograph and 27 year old Miss Mary Arbuthnot. a Head Schoolmistress. Both taken in 1997 by Greg Jones of an adult A. geisovii on a lived at Elmsleigh Terrace off Dartmouth Road, a few hundred gravestone in Old Town Churchyard. Subsequently, many reports metres from Gerston Road. In Mrs DoeFs few months at Paignton, have been received from this area, and between here and nearby Miss Arbuthnot must have made a strong impression on her to be Hugh Town. Plants have been regularly transferred from Tresco to remembered all those years later, and the possibility exists she Old Town, and this will have been the source. In 2003 Ren received some of those strange plants. Perhaps she was the M Hathway reported a sighting in a cottage garden in McFarland's Arbuthnot who sent the insect to the Natural History Museum, and

' September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.20 Kirby simply assumed she was married. This would establish a link insects are being removed to a nearby garden, which will no doubt between Kirby's 1910 report and the 1903 importation. explain future records here from outside the Palm House.

When all the Paignton sightings are plotted on a map, it is clear that Unarmed Stick-insect Acanthoxyla inermis Salmon- they are now centred on Primley Park (the last record I have from PSG 81 (Plates 2 8.3) around the original site is 1962 - do they still persist there?). Colin Bath, invertebrate curator at Paignton Zoo. drew my attention to a biography of Herbert Whitley (Baker 1988). the eccentric founder of Paignton Zoo, who had lived at Primley House and Park since 1904. This established that Herbert Whitley had phasmids in his conservatory there from very early days, and took great care to protect them. In 1926 the Yorkshire Herald ran an article about his phasmids called "When is a twig not a twig!'. He sent a specimen to London Zoo and was surprised when it was confirmed as the New Zealand species Macracantha geisovii. They suggested the insects came as eggs in food imported with a New Zealand bird. Uvarov's 1944 paper mentioned a consignment of New Zealand plants sent from Tresco to Paignton in 1907. My 1998 suggestion that those may have gone to the Botanic Gardens could not be correct, as the gardens were not founded until the 1920s. Perhaps they went to Primley House. It seems likely this introduction was separate from Mrs Arbuthnot's 1909 find. Kirby would presumably have written back to

her with details of the species, so if Whitley had obtained insects 7t 10 from her, he would not have needed to have the specimen identified, Acanthoxyla inermis distribution in Cornwall and Devon at June 2006 nor have been surprised with London Zoo's findings. Whitley also sent specimen plants to other localities, including Torre Abbey where CORNWALL: Lands End area sites. Unconfirmed reports were phasmids could be seen for many years in the upper branches within received by Brian Laney at St Burya n in 2003. In 2004 second hand the Palm House (they are still there). reports were received from gardens, but no further details. Brian received more second hand Penzance reports in September Interestingly, Herbert Whitley reported 'the male is neat, active and 2005, and another from St Just, but no confirmation. This was winged'. Males of Acanthoxyla species are unknown, even in New finally received on 31st October when a 100mm phasmid was found Zealand, and probably do not exist. Mrs Arbuthnot's letter to Kirby on a Penzance house wall. That same evening a report reached me mentioned 'a winged one found has escaped', but he concluded this from Steve Guy that the gardener in Morrab Gardens, Penzance had had no connection with the phasmid. It is probable that Mrs had a stick-insect a few days earlier. An internet search for 'stick Arbuthnot's 'winged phasmid' was an Oak Bush-cricket Meconema insects' on the "This is Cornwall' website, also that evening, hit on lhalassinum, which has a thin body reminiscent of a stick-insect (they an article published the previous Thursday in which it was reported are both orthopteroids) and is not uncommon in gardens. Herbert there were several colonies around Penzance in the 1960s, including Whitley was an excellent naturalist and would have known what an one behind the old Penlee lifeboat station. Attempts to track down Oak Bush-cricket looked like. Perhaps there was another species of the source of these reports have so far failed to bear fruit. In the phasmid surviving in the Primley House conservatory- light of the confirmed Penzance sighting, and the possibility this is Stoke Gabriel. At the time of my 1998 report I was unaware of this a long established area, this adds credibility to all these Lands End location. In 2001 the phasmid records from the national Orthoptera area reports. and Portmellon. There is an extensive colony between these two adjacent locations. Although the first Recording Scheme were received, showing a 1969 record from Stoke record was in 1993, it seems that insects have been here since Gabriel by J E Tilmouth. The species was given as A. inermis, which cl972. Brian Laney searched in September 2003, and Steve Guy in was not known as a UK species until some 20 years later (Brock September 2005. Both found good numbers of phasmids in the 1987). In 1969, the Acanthoxyla species which had naturalised here brambles adjacent the footpath all along Tregony Hill (see Fig. 2). was thought to be A. prasina (now known to be A. geisovii), so it was area sites. In 2005, nine new sites came from the area most likely a record of the Prickly Stick-insect. Paul Brock had around St Austell, in 10km square SX05 or adjacent. It seems received a letter in 1985 from a Plymouth PSG member which possible these are the result of a local garden centre acquiring a mentioned They certainly do occur in Stoke Gabriel, but 1 do not colony of phasmids within their grounds, and subsequent sales of know of precise locations'. In March 2001, the local Post Office in plants have caused this spread. Several 2005 reports have sighted Stoke Gabriel kindly put up an illustrated poster asking anyone who insects at 'Par, but without specific details. These may refer to had seen a stick-insect to contact me. A local gardener got in touch to existing nearby sites in the area around SX 0753, which is referred report seeing them regularly in Galmpton, but never in any of the to generally as 'Par'. area. Several reports have been Stoke Gabriel gardens he tended. On this basis, it seemed likely the made here of'non-spiny' stick insects. By itself, such a claim may colony had either died out, or was still very small. In August 2005 a be unreliable for A. inermis. In reports accompanied by report of a Prickly Stick-insect was received from a garden near the photographs, recorders often say they had not noticed spines, yet Mill Pool. This seems to have been a separate introduction as it was the photos show A. geisovii, albeit with smaller spines. Eve reported that conifer branches had been brought into that garden from Bysouth's detailed 1985 survey only recorded A. geisovii, so in the Galmpton c2001 by the owner's son who is a tree surgeon. Stick- absence of a photograph of A. inermis 1 conclude this species is not insects were seen on those branches, and they were transferred to a present in the St Mawes area. conifer within the garden. Torquay. Robert Cropper found both this species and the Laboratory Stick-insect Carausius morosus present when he visited Torquay Palm house on 10th August 1999. When DEVON: Oreston, Plymouth. On 6th May 2005 1 received a photo Paul Brock wrote his 1987 paper, it was feared that the stick-insects of a nymph which was clearly A. inermis, the first Devon record, in the Palm House had already been wiped out by the use of although the finder had taken an earlier phasmid picture in his insecticides. This is clearly not the case, and confirms their ability to garden during the summer of 2000. (By coincidence, a second persist even in apparently lethal conditions. It appears that surplus Plymouth phasmid photo was received a few days later from September 2006 Website: www.sl Plympton which, although blurred, looked like A. geisovii. :kinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.21 Confirmation that it was, indeed, A. geisovii did not come until Viscount Mersey's estate. There are unconfirmed reports at October, with a clear photo from a nearby garden.) A second A. Waterville and Bear Island. In August 2001 a video of a 5 cm green inermis record was received in August from a few hundred yards nymph in a garden at Ballincollig near Cork showed cerci, so it was away, and in October Brian Laney found three insects alongside the unlikely to be a discarded Laboratory Stick-Insect. old railway line, now a cycle path, all within the same locality. 20 4* OTHER COUNTIES: Somerset, Merriot. A nursery here imported New Zealand plants in the 1970s, which were the source for stick-insects in a Falmouth garden. Brock 1987 reports that oo stick-insects were subsequently found in the nursery. The current status of this population is not known, but they may well persist. TO Sussex, Upper Beeding. In May 2003, a penultimate instar nymph of A. inermis was found on a bramble bush. The garden owner reports this would have originated from insects collected in -4fe60 Cornwall during a visit in August 1999 to observe the solar eclipse. An adult stick-insect was located in the garden on 18th June 2006. -40 60 ^20 *0

Acanthoxyla inermis distribution in south west Ireland at June 2006

Acanthoxyla prasina (Wain ood) - PSG 6 (Plate 4)

Mevagissey This species is not readily distinguishable from A. geisovii, although it is less spiny, particularly along the abdomen. In July 2003 Tony Aston sent me a nymph which had been found in the gardens of 45 Mount Edgcumbe. This was grown on to adulthood, when it was confirmed as this species b\l Brock. It has previously been recorded surviving in three Cornish gardens at Angarrack, St Mawes and , but all can be traced to the accidental spillage of eggs from a culture. Mount Edgcumbe has a New Zealand garden containing many Australasian plants, and it may well be that it arrived here as eggs or insects with those plants.

Bacillus rossius (Rossi) - PSG 3 (Plate 5)

During his searches of Tresco in 2002. Brian Laney found several non-prickly stick-insect nymphs on 22nd August at two sites near the Blockhouse. These had a thin black line along the body with PortmellonlT^ pointed cerci. and were initially thought to be confirmation that C. hookeri was breeding outside the Abbey Gardens. However, 44 nymphs bred from a collected specimen, and un-hatched eggs, enabled Paul Brock to confirm they were in fact B. rossius. Mevagissey and Evidence this was a new breeding species was obtained when Ren Portmellon Hathway checked one of the sites on 8th August 2004 and found a nymph. Brian Laney was able to get to Tresco the following week and found a third colony close by. This species has previously been recorded surviving outdoors in the gardens of phasmid enthusiasts Fig. 2: Distribution of A. inermis sightings in Mevagissey and Portmellon at St Mawes (Haes 1993) and Hillingdon (McNamara 1996), and as discards in Plymouth (Jope 1996). Tresco is a remote island, so the SOUTH WEST IRELAND: The first Irish record was from possibility of these being discards is low. Mediterranean plants can Rossdohan Island in 1956, but they were probably there much earlier. be found in many of its sub-tropical gardens, and it seems most The gardens were laid out with Australasian plants in the 1870s by likely that it was this route which brought B. rossius here. Samuel Thomas Heard, a retired Indian Army Surgeon Major. At that time, Treseders (the nursery' closely linked to the story of our phasmids) were the only source for such plants, so they undoubtedly Smooth Stick-insect Clitarchus hookeri (White) - PSG 7 brought the species to south west Ireland. The house burnt down in (Plate 6) the 1920s and many of the specimen plants were grubbed up and removed. (Michael Greer Walker pers. comm. 2002). This probably C. hookeri has long been recorded from Tresco Abbey Gardens accounts for other nearby colonies. (Uvarov 1950). It was the only known site outside New Zealand for this species until 6th September 2001 when Ren Hathway and Following contact with Michael Viney in late 2001, he ran a feature Martin Goodey uncovered a second colony at the northern end of St in the Irish Times of 15th December. Apart from providing me with Mary's. Subsequent research showed that insects had been seen the phasmid records of which he was aware, his article also brought here since 1999. There is little doubt that transfer of plants from the in several new records. The distribution of all the records is shown Abbey Gardens was responsible for this new colony. When Brian below, with confirmed sightings at Rossdohan Island, on the adjacent Laney did extensive searches of Tresco in 2002 and 2004, a primary mainland at Rossdohan, and Derryquin, as well as nearby Sneem, objective was to see if C. hookeri had spread outside the Abbey Blackwater Bridge and Claddananure. The Natural History Museum Gardens. He never saw this species, and my own requests for has records from the other side of the bay at Derreen, on phasmid sightings in the annual Scillonian Wildlife Reports September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.22 have drawn a blank for C. hookeri. I conclude this species is still surplus insects are often discarded in gardens and left to fend for confined to the Abbey Gardens, where the last record 1 have is from themselves, so they could turn up almost anywhere. There is no 1994, but they undoubtedly persist. Martin Goodey confirmed evidence that such discards can become established outdoors, even in adults overwintered on St. Mary's into spring 2006. our mildest parts. Under glass they can become a nuisance with their damage to ornamental plants, and are difficult to get rid of. Colonies Clonopsis gallica (Charpentier) - PSG 45 (Plate 7) have been recorded from Kew Gardens (eradicated?), Torquay Palm House (still there, despite extensive use of insecticides), a butterfly In July 2001 Roger Long took several slides of a phasmid which centre near Stratford-upon-Avon (current status unknown) and had been habitually seen in a garden in Jersey since at least 1995. recently in Glasgow Botanical Gardens. In May 2006, the BBC News From its granulated thorax and number of antennal segments, Paul website had a video article on the problems in Glasgow, with an Brock considered it was C. gallica. This species is relatively apprehensive reporter doing her piece to camera whilst holding one widespread in France, as far north as Brittany, and it was probably of the little pests. introduced here on plants. Outside the normal range of the naturalised species have come quite a CONSERVATION STATUS: This table shows the data on our few reports from adults who regularly saw stick-insects when they naturalised species, in terms of the number of locations and were children 50 or more years ago. Some of these mentioned seeing Ordnance Survey squares in which each has been recorded. them over a period of years. It is difficult to know what to make of them, but it is most likely they were annual discards of this species tetrad from a local phasmid enthusiast or school. SPECIES locations 1 km2 10 km2

Acanthoxyla gcisovii 23 41 28 13 Ramulus thaii Hausleithner - PSG 22: On Ist November 2001, Greg Jones found a phasmid in a Cardiff hothouse (ST 1-7-) which he Acaiuhoxx'Ia in-£rrr,:- 7 7J 60 87 65 29 sent to the Natural History Museum, together with some eggs it laid. Acanthoxyla inermis -IrelamQ 10 10 9 7 Judith Marshall was able to confirm it was this South East Asian species. Acanthoxyla biennis {Total) 70 97 74 36

A canthoxyla prasina 4 4 4 4 Sipyloidea sipylus (Westwood) - PSG 4: The Pink-winged Stick- Bacillus rossius 3 3 3 3 insect, from Madagascan culture, was reported as being released in Hillingdon (TQ 0882) and nearby Pole Hill Wood, where they Clitarchus hookeri 2 2 2 2 survived to the following summer (McNamara 1996). They have also persisted on geraniums in a conservatory at St Mawes (SW 8532), Clonopsis gallica 1 where robins would hop in and take small nymphs for their young A useful measure for the rarity of a species is that adopted by the (Eve Bysouth pers. comm. 1998). various Red Data Books. This allocates a national conservation status based on the number of UK 10 km squares in which the WHEN ARE ADULTS ABOUT?: Most of the phasmid records are species is recorded. Species present in 15 or less 10 km squares are random encounters by surprised individuals unaware of their given RDB status, and those between 16 and 100 10 km squares are presence. Such encounters can be on plants, especially whilst allocated the status of Nationally Scarce/Notable. RDB status is pruning, or when they climb up house walls. Fig. 3 shows the further subdivided into RDB1 where a species is extremely distribution by month of these random encounters with adult insects vulnerable or possibly even extinct, RDB2 where it is vulnerable to (excluding records from specific searches). future extinction, and RDB3 where it is rare but not thought vulnerable. The Nationally Scarce/Notable designation is further subdivided into Notable A (abbreviated to Na) where it occurs in between 16 and 30 10 km squares, and Notable B (Nb) where it occurs in between 31 and 100 10 km squares.

As established aliens, the notion of a conservation status may be thought inapplicable. However, on the basis of current knowledge, I consider the following conservation status would apply to our naturalised phasmid species.

Acanthoxyla geisovii RDB3 Acanthoxyla inermis Na Acanthoxyla prasina RDB2 Bacillus rossius RDB2 Clitarchus hookeri RDB 2 Fig. 3: Date distribution of random sightings for adult stick-insects Clonopsis gallica RDB2 Adults have been seen in every month of the year and are able to As more sites become known, it is likely in future years that A. survive periods of severe frosts, such as Cornwall experienced in geisovii will become Na, and A. inermis will become Nb. early 1997. It may seem surprising that records rise in October after a September decrease, and that a third of all records are between OTHER CASUAL REPORTS November and March when insects of any species are very thin on the ground. The answer lies in their ability for camouflage. This is Bacillus whitei Nascetti & Bullini - PSG 108: This Sicilian superb if they stay on the plants, but useless once they move away species has been recorded outdoors in a Slough garden (SU 9981) from their natural habitat. In autumn their foodplants are losing (Brock 1999). It has survived frosts and was present in 2005. leaves, and temperatures are falling. For these reasons, they wander from their original plant homes at this time of the year to seek food, Carausius morosus (Sinety) - PSG 1: The Laboratory Stick-insect and will often climb south facing walls to absorb warmth. Even is the most common species for sale in pet shops, and is widely kept though numbers of insects will be much lower, those few insects in schools and private homes. Its prolific breeding rate means that zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBAbecome considerably more visible to casual observers. September 2006 Website: www stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.23 For those who wish to look for phasmids in the wild, adults will APPENDIX - LOCATION SUMMARIES be at their peak in August, with fair numbers through into October. Searching for such masters of camouflage themselves Acanthoxyla geisovii locations (240 records1) is not easy, but feeding damage on bramble (a favourite foodplant) is more readily visible. Such feeding damage CORNWALL (142 records) consists of large, sometimes semi-circular, chunks taken out of the leaves, unlike the irregular edge nibbles of most caterpillars Latest Total etc. If you are looking at a bramble with intact leaves, you can 1km Records' Location First Seen Record be reasonably sure it has no phasmids and can move quickly on square to the next one. Collecting of specimens is rarely necessary, and a photo is normally quite sufficient for identification. If you must remove a specimen for breeding or research, please ensure Angarrack SW5838 1991 2006 7 you follow the code of conduct for collecting insects (Imp: www.benhs.org.uk/code.html). A single specimen should Falmouth SW 8033 1998 2003 2 suffice, as they are parthenogenetic.

Feock SW 8238 1987 1987 1 If any members of the Phasmid Study Group do come across stick-insects outdoors, I would be pleased to receive details at Great Work SW 5930 C1985 2005 3 the above address, or by e-mail to g u 11 roe k (a), u ko n I in e. co. u k. An identification key is in the colour section (plates 8a-8d). Mawnan Smith SW 7728 2005 2005 1

Portscatho G«r ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS rans SW 5"35 C1996 2006 4

I am grateful to Paul Brock for all his assistance with St. Just-in- Roseland SW S535 1994 2005 6 identification of the new species, to Paul Brock and Judith Marshall for information about Irish records, to Colin Bath, St. Man's. Martin Goodey, Steve Guy, Ren Hathway, and Brian Laney for Isles of Scilly SV9010 c':995 2005 5 all their records, to Nic Harrison-White and Ian Bennallick for 1997 all their support at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, and to Martin SV 9110 2004 10 Goodey, Roger Long and Bill Spurrell for permission to use b - _ Z 5 2005 2 their images of C. hookeri, C. gallica and A. geisovii respectively. This report would be considerably the poorer St. Mawes v\ *—-32 1974 1974 1 without all this kind help.

SW 5-53 C1959 2005 20 Malcolm Lee SW 1532 1997 2 REFERENCES SW 5553 c:*60 2005 14 Baker, J., 1988. Chimps, Champs & Elephants SJH Publications, Paignton (p37 regarding stick-insects). Tresco, Isles of Scilly sv 2004 1 Brock, P. D., [1987]. A third New Zealand Stick Insect () established in the British Isles, with notes on other species including a correction. In Mazzini, M. & Scali, V. [eds.] Ist International SV SS 5 2004 5 Symposium on Stick-Insects. University of Siena (1985). 125-132. -1999. New records of alien stick-insects. Phasmid Studies 7(2) 39-40.

Haes, E. C. M., 1993. Grasshoppers and their allies, 1991 and 1992. SV8914 2005 24 Zoological Cornwall & Isles ofScilly 2: 6-8

Jope, M. 1996. A discarded? colony of Bacillus rossius in Plymouth. SV S915 1982 2004 17 Phasmid Study Group Newsletter 66:11.

Lee, M., 1998. An updated survey into the distribution of Stick Insects SV9014 2004 2004 1 of Britain. Phasmid Studies. 7(1): 18-25.

Kirby, W. F. 1910. An undetermined species of Stick insect found in Trethem SW 8536 1997 2005 4 Devonshire. Zoologist, ser. IV, 14: 197-198.

McNamara, D. 1996. A note on Bacillus rossius, the Corsican stick SW 8044 1994 1996 3 insect. Bulletin of the Amateur Entomologists' Society, 55 31 -32. Truro

Uvarov, B. P., 1944. A New Zealand Phasmid (Orthoptera) established in the British Isles. Proc. R. Ent. Soc. London B. 13: 94-96. Veryan SW9139 pre 1985 2005 9 -1950. A second New Zealand Stick Insect (Phasmatodea) established in the British Isles. Proc. R. Ent. Soc. London B. 19: 174-175.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.24 DEVON (98 records)

Glendurgan SW 7727 1994 1995 2 Brixham SX 9155 C1995 2005 4 Gorran Haven SX 0041 C1969 2005 3 SX 9255 1986 2005 3 SX0141 C1965 CI965 1 Broadsands SX 8856 1986 1986 1 Grampound SW 9348 2004 2004 1 SX 8857 1998 2005 3 Great Work SW 5930 C1985 2005 6 Collaton-St-Mary SX 8660 C1940 2005 6 SW 5536 2005 2006 2 Ermington SX 6352 1976 2005 9 SW 5637 2005 2005 1 SX 6353 1994 2005 5 SW 5737 1999 1999 1 Galmpton SX 8856 cl970 2002 19 SW 5738 2002 2002 1 SX 8956 1979 2003 3 Helford Passage SW 7527 cl930 1993 3 Marldon SX 8662 1985 2001 2 SW 7626 1994 2003 2 Paignton SX 8759 1982 2003 5 SW 7627 1969 1996 3 SX 8760 pre 1926 2005 5 SW 6527 2003 2005 2 SX 8859 1991 2005 6 Hidden Valley SX 0956 2005 2005 1 SX 8860 1903? 2005 9 Luxulyan SX 0557 2005 2005 1 SX 8861 1909 1962 3 Mawgan Porth SW 8567 2001 2001 1 Plymouth - Plympton SX 5555 2004 2006 4 Mawnan Smith SW 7728 1981 2006 12 Stoke Gabriel SX 8557 1969 2005 4 SW 7729 1994 2003 4 Torquay SX9063 C1930 2003 4 SW 7828 1996 2003 2 SX 9064 1946 1946 1 SW 7829 2003 2003 2 SX9I64 1985 1989 2 Mevagissey SX0044 2003 2003 1

Acanthoxyla inermis locations (378 records1) SX0I44 C1977 2005 10

SX0145 C1972 2005 12 CORNWALL (345 records) Mylor Bridge SW 8036 1996 1996 1 Angarrack SW 5838 1998 2006 3 SW 8362 2003 2005 2 Bits land SX 1072 1992 1992 1 Penlee* SW 4726 C1969 C1969 1 SX 0766 2005 2005 1 Penryn SW 7733 1993 2005 4 Boscoppa SX 0253 2005 2005 1 SW 7734 1993 1998 2 Budock Yean SW 7527 1988 1993 3 SW 7735 1982 2002 11 SW 7627 1992 2005 9 SW 7834 2005 2006 8 Budock Water SW 7832 1994 2005 4 Penwithick SX 0256 2005 2005 1 SW 6440 2001 2001 2 Penzance SW 4630 C1969 2005 5 SW 6641 2005 2005 1 SW 4730 2004 2004 1 Connor Downs SW 5939 2003 2003 2 Perranarworthal SW 7637 2005 2005 1 Constantine SW 7329 1996 2005 3 Perranporth SW 7553 2006 2006 1 Falmouth SW 7832 1994 2003 2 Ponsanooth SW 7637 1999 1999 1 SW 7931 1992 1998 7 Port Gaverne SX 0080 C1973 2006 16 SW 7932 2002 2005 3 Porthallow SW 7923 CI987 1997 2 SW 7933 2005 2005 2 SW 6326 2000 2006 2 SW 8032 1981 2006 23 Port Isaac SW 9980 1987 2006 37 SW 8033 1987 2005 6 SW998I 2001 2001 2 Feock SW 8238 CI978 2003 6 SX 0080 1983 2006 8 SX I25l 2005 2005 1

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.25 Portmellon SX0143 1997 2003 5 Rossdohan Island V 7162 1956 1993 8

SX0I44 1994 2005 6 Sneem V6966 1993 1993 1

Probus SW 9047 pre 1984 1996 6 W'aterville* V 5065f 1993 1993 1

Redruth SW 7040 2005 2005 1 * Unconfirmed sighting t or nearby 1km square

Roche SW 9759 2003 2005 2

Acanthoxyla prasina locations (9 records1) Rosewarne SW6441 1996 1996 2 Angarrack SW 5838 1993 2006 3 St. Austell - Holmbush SX 0352 2005 2005 1 Mount Edgcumbe SX 4552 2003 2005 2 St. Blazey Gate SX 0653 2003 2005 2 Redruth SW694I 1995 2003 3 St. Buryan* SW 4023 2003 2003 1 St. Mawes SW 8532 I991 1991 1 SL Just* SW 3631 2005 2005 1

Scorrier SW 7245 2001 2005 2

Bacillus rossius locations (9 records1) Threemilestone SW 7745 2006 2006 1

SW 7844 2000 2000 1 St. Mawes SW 8532 1991 1997 2

Trebah SW 7627 1996 2002 3 Tresco, Isles of Scilh. SV 8915 2002 2004 5

Trebetherick SW 9377 2005 2005 1 Hillingdon TQ 0882 1987 1995 2

Treknow SX0586 2005 2005 1

Trenarren SX 0348 2005 2005 1 Clitarchus hookeri locations (23 records1)

Trevone SW 8975 2004 2005 2 St Mary's, Isles of Scilly SV - : 2006 14 Truro SW 8044 1993 1999 2 Tresco, Isles of Scilly SV - 1994 9 SW 8045 1999 1999 1

SW 8244 1993 1998 3 Clonopsis gallic a locations SW 8245 C1920 2005 14 Jersey 2003 SW 8344 1999 2005 4

SW 8345 1993 2005 7 1 The total may include e r = " :~e szz" Tom the same Tywardreath SX 0754 1994 1994 2 site, eg. a 2001 report a s : v S2- ' :~e garden, including

confirmation of their prese- e s'zs iiz ,'. th a 2003 update, SX0854 1994 2005 5 will be treated as three re-r

Veryan Green SW9139 pre 1983 2005 5

SW 9239 1993 1994 2 PSG Newsletter Editors Nore

Colour photographs to supc e-s-: r s a-ce aocear on the next page. I am SX 0072 2005 2005 1 very pleased that Malcolm Lee <,-z .. a:-*ec — z.z sh lis latest excellent paper in the PSG Newsletter. The s-re-r. r -t:_-a sec 3-ish phasmids has been a DEVON (6 records) recurring talking point arrc-g —as- ; ;s,c:a*s -nany years, and here we have the definitive situation as a: :— ..-* ZZZi frcm the world's foremost Plymouth - Oreston SX 5053 2000 2005 5 authority on the subject

SX5I53 2005 2005 1 Exact locations have generc-s . z~- =.:: ec — s embers' interest, and it might even entice then to zz sea~- jsiy. while giving this SOMERSET (1 record) information, it is hoped that c-as~ :s w se e-cved n bagfuls from the

wild. Also, if members have any ac:cc_a -~—azz- cn vie subject, please

1 Merriot ST 4413 C1975 CI975 ensure you pass it on to Ma;cc'm - s access s a: ceginring cf this article) who

is always updating his records. To c ve a" exa- alccim's dedication, part SURREY (2 records) of his e-mail to me read: "It was pa-ic a-,, z eas -g ce a'o'e to use the 1901 Census website to track down f,';ss AT-~-C: -. Pa gntcn giving corroboration to | Upper Beeding TQ 1910 2003 2006 > Mrs Doel's letter written 50 years ago ace: events which happened over a century ago. In 2012, I will be inte-es:e: tc c-ec, c_: me 1911 census to see if IRELAND (24 records) she had moved to Fairiawn. the adoress c in Kirov 1910 paper". [This refers to a paper by Kirby 1910. original in Zoologist (4) 14 pp. 197-198, on: "An Ballincollig* W 5970t 2001 2001 1 Undetermined Species of Stick-Insect 'curd r Devonshire'. It begins: "A short time ago Mrs. M. F. Arbuthnot. of Fairiawn. Faigntcn. Devon, sent to the Natural Bear Island* V 7443f 1993 1993 1 History Museum a species of the group Phasmid. which had been found in her garden on a climbing rose".] Blackwater Bridge V 7968 1994 2001 3 Malcolm also advised me: "My interest in phasmids is restricted to the naturalised species, rather than the wider front covered by the PSG. After I Claddananure V 8871 1993 1994 2 photographed A. inermis in my garden in the late 1980s, I eventually came into contact with Paul Brock who told me their intriguing story. This started me on a Derreen V 7758 1965 1984 2 local survey to see how widespread they are in my village, which was published in Phasmid Studies in 1992. This snowballed into a countywide and then Derryquin V 7064 1988 1988 2 nationwide survey published in PS in 1995 with an update in 1998 PS. Now, any phasmid records which go direct to the National Orthoptera Recording Scheme Rossdohan V 7163 1997 2000 3 or BM(NH) find their way to me, as do all county records". Mike Smith.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.26 Plate 3: Colour change The mahogany red form of A. inermis is able to change to a pale colour quite quickly, as these images taken about two hours apart show. This phenomenon has not been recorded in their native New Zealand- The colour change is caused by granules within the surface skin cells rising and falling. Port Gaverne 19-05-1993. The Naturalised

Plate 1: Plate 2: British Phasmids Acanihoxyla geisovii Acanthoxyla inermis Port Tresco 12-10-2005. Gaverne 16-09-2005. {/koto Bill Spurrell) Plate 5: Bacillus rossins Plate 6: Clitarclnts hookeri Plate 7: C/onopsisgallica Jersey Plate 4: Acanthoxylaprasina ex bred from specimen collected on St Mary's 14-11-2002. July 2001. Another species with Mount Edgcumbe July 2003. Note Tresco 22-08-2002. Note the short (photo Martin Goodey) short antennae., (photo Roger Long) fev, »r spines than A. geisovii in Plate I. antennae.

BRITISH PHASMIDS - KEY IDENTIFICATION FEATURE FOR ADULTS

For adult non-prickly stick-insects found in the wild, compare the cerci (leaf-like appendages at the abdomen end) with these images, as seen from above.

Plate 8a (left): A. inermis - rounded cerci. Plate 8b (right): C. hookeri - Plate 8c (left): B. rosshts - pointed cerci less than half the length of the last pointed cerci longer than the last abdominal segment, with only a small abdominal segment and they are widely separated, (nb. small nymphs of A gap separating them. inermis may look similar) Plate 8d (right): C. morosvs - no visible cerci. September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.27 PHAENOPHAROS KHAOYAIENSIS (PSG 215), Zompro, 2000 - OBSERVATIONS by Tom Low PSG 2630

Ova take approximately 6-7 months to hatch. I received a batch which had been laid in April 2005, which began to hatch in October. The nymphs were around 2 cm in length. Nymphs which hatched much later than this (>2 months) did not survive.

The PSG culture list states that they will feed on bramble, hawthorn, hypericum and raspberry. I have offered them Cotoneaster, and although this was refused, I have raised them largely on rose and they will also take cherry.

They have exhibited unusual feeding behaviour in that instead of eating the leaves they will often ea: through the thicker pa", where the leaf bunches meet the main stem causing the leaves to fa to the floor. This s particularly the case with adults, and I have also witnessed it with sr adult female Extatosoma tiaratum. I have no idea what the advantage of this would be in the wild.

Adults began to lay eggs approx. 8 months after hatching, perhaps a month or so after the final moult. Parthenogenetic reproduction always takes place: around 4-5 eggs are laid each week per female

At the final moult the adults also received their characteristic red microwings (right). A female whose wing bud had been damaged prior to the moult developed a lighter outer casing - more yellow in colour - and a darker, almost purple, colour inside (above, compared with normal colouring, right and far above).

Bob Osborne Dies by Mike smith

It is with regret I have to advise you that a founder member of the PSG, Bob Osborne, recently died after a long illness. (Apologies for the quality of the photograph).

Bob was PSG Member No 22 and, at the first PSG AGM, he took over the Livestock Co-ordinator role from Paul Watts.

The photo shows Bob, with the then youngest PSG member Vernon Bayliss (PSG member No 15), at the first PSG Exhibition, which was at the 1982 Midlands Entomological Fair in Leicester. To my knowledge I have never met Bob, but he was spoken well of by such founder members as »> IM [12) Tony James and Paul Brock so I feel I know him a little.

In the March 2004 PSG Newsletter I included an article by PSG Member No 1, Tony James. Bob Osborne was mentioned in this article, and I was really pleased when Paul Brock told me that Bob said he had read the article and enjoyed it very much. Sadly, Bob was not in the best of health even then. Our condolences go to Bob's family.

September 2006 Website: www.stickinsect.org.uk Newsletter 107.28