Chairman: Mrs Judith Marshall Department of Entomology British Museum (Natural Histo,ry) Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD Membership: Paul Brock (Phone 0753-79447) "Papillon", 40 Thorndike Road Slough, Berks SL2 lSR NEWSLETTER NO . 25 December 1985 At the AES Exhibition this year your Group's tables seemed to be even more thronged than ever, probably because of our continued emphasis on giving away sticks and eggs, in pleasant contrast to the high prices of the dealers. Thanks to the dozen or so members who provided ,18 species - numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 13, 15, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 32, 38, 44, the second Dares species and a new Ctenomorphodes species; many of these were helpfully brought already packed into cultures. Our display consisted of adult pairs of a few of the species given away (including the spectacular Heteropteryx dilatata) and a range of PSG Newsletters. Eight new members were recruited. Thanks also to those who brought displays, thoughtfully provided empty containers and spare food (for the sticks~) and stayed to help visitors out at the stand. But no marks to whoever dumped a load of large Thailand sticks in a Woolworth's plastic bag which, when found crumpled late in the afternoon, contained many discarded legs and 5 sticks so badly damaged that they had to be killed. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - This will be held on Saturday 8th February 1986 at the usual venue in the Conversazione Room (appropriately behind Insects) in the British Museum (Natural History) in South Kensington. Opening time 10 a.m., Committee Meeting 11 a.m., AGM 12 noon, and Paul Brock's (No. 26) new 30-minute 12-species video 2.30 p.m. Please bring sandwiches. DEADLINE - Please send all contributions for the next Newsletter by 15th February to Michael and Frances at 9 Oaklands Court, Nicoll Road, London ~~lO 9AU. FORTHCOMING SPECIES ,REPORTS Our grateful thanks to those who have agreed to write the following: Dares species (PSG 38 and 69) by Paul Brock (No. 26) for the March 1986 issue. Baculum impigrum (PSG 24) by Jonathan Cocking (No. 82) for the June 1986 issue. Heteropteryxdilatata (PSG 18) by Mel Herbert (No. 232) for the September 1986 i~sue. Haaniella echinata (PSG 26) by Jonathan Cocking (No. 82) for the December 1986 issue . EUrycantha species (PSG 44) by Mel Herbert (No. 232) for the March 1987 issue. Carausius sanguineoligatus (PSG 27) by John Slater (No. 183) for the June 1987 issue. As most of these species are fairly new to the Group, it is particularly important that all of us who have had experience of them send in our results to the members listed above - by not later than 2 months before the issue dates given. Then the Group can benefit from a variety of experiences, which can be important for successful rearing. QUERIES We are accumulating a number of queries which we cannot answer ourselves . The Group needs someone with technical knowledge to provide answers for these - and other such queries in the future - so do please write to us with your answers if you can help. The queries so far can be summarised as: 1 . Why do some sticks lay large eggs and others small (not necessarily related to the stick size); and why do some lay many eggs and others few? (from Stan Pack, No o 99). 2 0 Why do some sticks exude bubbles of liquid from their mouths, even when undisturbed, and even if their food is not sprayed? (for C. morosus from Debby Wale, No o 293, and for A. prasina adults and E. tiaratum nymphs from Howard Turner, No. 222) . 30 Why do some (all?) long-feelered sticks sometimes suck their feelers, particularly after being sprayed with water? (from Michael and Frances, No. 3) . 4. What is the purpose of the red patches on the inside of the front legs of C. morosus? (from Vernon Bayliss, No. 15). SURPLUSES - Member 183 has surplus of species 4 , 22 a nd 27 . HOW WILL YOUR STICKS FARE WHEN YOU GO ON HOLIDAY? We had very few answers to this. Paul Brock (No. 26) establishes growing foodplants well in advance. These will obviously keep fresh the best, but it could be difficult to provide enough food for greedy species like Eurycantha and E. tiaratum. Paul also puts sawdust at the bottom of his cages to help reduce mould. L.J. Howlett (No. 63) finds that his normal method keeps the bramble fresh enough. He uses a large jam jar filled with water, with holes pierced in the lid large enough to insert the foodplant. This last wouldn't do round here, where in hot weather our bramble goes limp in under a week even in water. So what do we do? Well, we don't go away on holiday~ (Eds.) THOUGHT FOR THE ISSUE - Do our sticks know they are confined? HEAVY PHASMIDS by Paul Brock (No. 26) If anyone would care to risk injury by weighing their Heteropteryx dilatata live adult females, they may be able to have an entry in "The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats" Fourth Edition ~ The current edition's record (one of the "heaviest insects" category) is 51. 2 g (1. 81 oz') for a 140 mm specimen from the London Zoo. A dead female in my collection measures 160 mm, and I reared one fairly recently a fraction short of this length (ex ova, Michael Yeh). Michael and Frances (No. 3) are also rearing specimens close to this length. Obviously specimens around this size may be heavier than the Zoo's insect, in their egg-laying prime. An accurate set of scales is needed by the brave participant, a n d if the details are sent to me, I can pass these on to- Gerald \'1ood of Guinness Books . STICK DEA~~S by Michael and Frances (No. 3) Fo~ us these most often occur shortly after shedding or food changing, and so we now try to avoid having these two factors together by putting newly shed sticks in other cages rather than on fresh food. STOCKS OF EUROPEAN STICK INSECTS NOW IN CULTURE by Paul Brock (No. 26) Members may be interested to know that the following stocks are in culture in the UK - the source is also given. BACILLUS ROSSIUS (Rossi) - Parthenogenetic except where stated. Foodplants: bramble, rose, oak. France Northern (Boulogne) Stan Pack France Southern via Maxwell Cooper Corsica long-standing culture Sardinia (Giara de Gesturi) April 1982 via Ulrich Ziegler Bisexual stock, adults smaller than usual. Yugoslavia (Lanterna, near Porec) June 1983 Paul Brock Formerly thought to be B. atticus, which has more specialised foodplants. BACILLUS CYPRIUS, Uvarov - Females only. Native foodplant: Lentisc. Cyprus (Near Governor's Beach) June 1985 Paul Brock A scientific paper, describing the egg and adult, etc, is in preparation, and details will be given when published. CLONOPSIS GALLICA (Charpentier) - Females only. Foodplants: bramble, rose. France Southern (Petit Camargue area) May 1985 Howard Turner France (Foret de Chiz~)September-November1984 J.M. Guerineau France (Varennes sur Loire) Jean Luc Lambert Note - I have checked the identity of the first two named stocks (and we that of the third - Eds.) . Small stocks are also held of the "British" species Acanthoxyla prasina (Westwood) and Clitarchus hookeri (White). I would be interested to hear of other stocks, and possibly some crosses may be attempted in due course. SELECTED FURTHER FOODPLANTS FOR EURYCANTHA SPECIES by Frank C. Elia (No. 282) Schefflera (Umbrella Tree) Philodendron (many) Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily) Morus (Mulberry) Vitis (Grape) Viburnum Ficus (Creeping Fig, Fiddleleaf Fig, etc) Tradescantia (Wandering Jew) Malus sylvestris (Crab Apple) Many of these are common house plants and, except for Crab Apple and Viburnum and perhaps Mulberry, can be easily grown in a house with a sunny window. FOODPLANT NOTES by Les Fox (No. 50) Libethra regularis seems to be the only species that likes broom. Calynda species' (PSG No. 52) natural foodplant is Mimosa pudica (sensitive plant) according to Alan Gange (No. 17). Seeds of this can be obtained from Dobies. ROWAN (MOUNTAIN ASH) FOODPLANT by Michael and Frances (No. 3) This is popular with all our large, bulky sticks (PSG Nos. 9, 18, 23, 26 and 44). It keeps well in water. A NOTE ON SOME NEW ZEALAND FOODPLANTS by Allan Harman (No. 189 ) New Zealand stick insects (two species) were accidentally introduced into England - Devon and the Scilly Isles - some years ago, presumably with the now extensive New Zealand flora in these areas. One species, Clitarchus hookeri (White), has also been recorded on the island of Rossdohan, in Kerry, Eire, where New Zealand flora have also been planted. Salmon, 1955, reports that all species of s tick eat Manuka (Tea-tree), though only C. hookeri can be reared successfully on it alone. Acanthoxyla sp. are reported to feed on Rata, Pohutakawa and possibly Rimu and Totara. Argosarchus sp. feeds on Rama-rama. These plant names are of course Maori names and therefore quite confusing to those of us who do not have a knowledge of local names of plants. Therefore I list below some of their characteristics. MANUKA - Leptospermum scoparium, J.R. and G. Forst. - Myrtaceae In New Zealand this grows to 30 feet in height. In Britain this plant can be cultivated outside in the south western counties though some shelter is required. It is an evergreen tree, or shrub up to 10 feet. Some varieties are "Keatleyi" - tender and recommended in a cool greenhouse and "Nanum" - a dwarf variety which can be grown outside but needs protection in winter . It is not suitable for dry or calcareous soils.