The Phasmid Study Group

Transcription

1 The Phasmid Study Group C H A I R M A N : Judith Marshall. Dept. of Entomology, The N a t u r a l H i s t o r y M u s e u m, C r o m w e l l Road, London SW7 5 B D. ( T e l : ; F A X ) T R E A S U R E R / M E M B E R S H I P : Paul Brock. " P a p U l o n ", 40 T h o r n d i k e R o a d, S l o u g h, B e r k s. S L 2 1SR. ( T e l : 017S ) S E C R E T A R Y : Phil Bragg. 51 L o n g f l e M \ j at t, I l k e s t o n, D e r b y s h i r e, D E 7 4 D X. zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbazyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcba ( T e l : ) DECEMBER 1995 MERRY ISSN N E W S L E T T E R No 65 CHRISTMAS TO ALL and HAPPY MEMBERS A r t w o r k by L i z N e w m a n ( N o ) NEW YEAR

2 65:2 DIARY DATES 1996 JANUARY 20th. THE PHASMID STUDY GROUP A.G.M. The Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London. (Details below and on a separate sheet). MARCH 31st MIDLANDS SPRING ENTOMOLOGICAL FAIR Granby Halls Leisure Centre, Aylestone Road, Leicester. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 20th JANUARY 1996 THE CONVERSAZIONE ROOM, THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON, LONDON. Please see separate sheet for Agenda The Museum is easily reached by Tube train, the nearest station being South Kensington which is on the Piccadilly, Circle & District Lines. A walkway connects the tube station directly to the Museum. Members should make sure that they bring along the enclosed Agenda form in order that they can gain access to the Museum. You will be asked to sign in, and then instructed on how to reach "The Conversazione Room". Upon reaching the room, members will be welcomed by Nichola Waddicor, Elizabeth and Dorothy Newman. Members will be issued with a name badge (Sorry, you'll have to write your own names on, but there will be a pen handy). New members who have never attended a meeting before will also have a coloured sticker put on their name badge. As well as the Livestock Exchange, which is run by Ian Abercrombie, and is always very popular, "T - Shirts" will be on sale and Phil Bragg will be giving two illustrated talks. The first entitled "How to Draw Stick Insects" will be showing some easy hints on drawing Stick Insects and their eggs, with guidelines on producing drawings in ink. The talk will concentrate on how to produce accurate black and white illustrations for the Newsletter and Phasmid Studies (or other publications). The second talk of the afternoon will be about "Stick Insects of Borneo", Phil has made many trips to Borneo and Sarawak and has a wealth of information and slides on the area. The afternoon will conclude with a further informal gathering. If any member wishes to be nominated or to stand on the committee, please write to the Chairman, Judith Marshall to reach her by Monday 8th of January. We look forward to seeing all Members at the AGM

3 65:3 Subscriptions are dueforrenewal on Jannirv 1st To ensure that members continuf; receive Newsletters, please send your renewal form (enclosed with this NewsletterX to the Membership Secretary, Paul Brock, as soon as possible EXHIBITIONS & MEETINGS R E P O R T A.E.S EXHIBITION, 7th OCTOBER by Paul Jennings (No 80) Once again the P.S.G. exhibited at the A.E.S. This event must be the UK's largest and most popular Entomological Show of the year. My day had begun at hrs. After packing the car and picking up Ted Blackwell (No 926), we drove for approximately 3 hours before reaching Kempton Park. Although we were the first of the P.S.G bunch to arrive, the venue was already busy with other exhibitors' setting up. Our display included the now famous "Stick Hotel", catering for up to 9 species, and on this occasion featured a pair of beautiful Phyllium bioculatum. Michael and Frances (No 3) also displayed (hand held) some of their larger species, including a huge Eurycantha sp. (PSG 44) male. Ian Abercrombie (No 628) distributed what seemed to be an endless supply of surplus livestock which attracted the public. What more can I say, except yet another hectic, interesting and very enjoyable day. A C T I V I T I E S F O R F U T U R E P.S.G M E E T I N G S Exhibition and Meetings Officer (Paul Jennings No 80) I urgently require offers from members wishing to give a talk on a Phasmid related topic at the 1996 AGM, and future meetings. Examples of previous talks include: Painting Wildlife in Water-colours, Phasmid Taxonomy, Slide Shows and Photography of Phasmids. Ideally we like to have two talks per meeting, each one lasting for approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Anyone wishing to give a talk should contact me A.S.A.P. on or by post: 89 Brackensdale Ave., Kingsway, Derby, DE22 4AF. I await your offers! Members who have a computer and have access to either the Internet or Compuserve can now contact the Editor, or even leave articles and messages for The Newsletter. If you are on Compuserve, my user ID number is: If you are on the Internet, my contact number is: @compuserve.com Note: The user ID must be addressed using a period NOT a comma, and using the domain address ofcompuserve.com" which is essential.

4 65:4 NEW ADDITIONS T O T H E SPECIES L I S T by Phil Bragg (No 445) PSG 170 Bacteria sp. from French Guiana, a large sexual species (females 200mm, males 135mm) which feeds on bramble and rose. A report on this species appeared in Le Monde des Phasmes, The eggs are very distinctive, with a large hollow structure on the operculum (see illustration - by Philippe Lelong). However the eggs are very similar to PSG 152 and could easily be confused. Eggs of PSG 152 have a narrower micropylar plate, only about half the width. PSG 171 Hesperophasma lobaia (Redtenbacher, 1908) the original stock were collected in Costa Rica, from Limon which is close to the border with Panama The stock were collected by a Mr Wanders, in This culture was identified by Frank Hennemann by comparison with a specimen in the Natural History Museum, London. According to the original description females are 59mm, I have not seen any cultured material. Foodplants include Bramble, Oak, Pyracantha and Raspberry PSG 172 Bacillus grandii Nascetti & Bullini. A European species, I do not know anything about the origins of this culture. Females 70-95mm, males 50-60mm. It feeds on bramble. PSG 173 Menexenus maerens Brunner. Brought into culture by Peter Heusi who used the code PHCP 7/95 before it was added to the PSG list. Peter identified this species, saying "it is very likely that it is M maerens", and provided the following information about the culture. From Vietnam. Females 75mm, males 52mm. It is very spiny, long lived and easy to rear on Bramble, females are light brown with darker legs Males are very dark dorsally and have yellowish-brown sides to the body and dark brown legs This species produces an agreeable spicy odour. PSG 174 Lopaphus caesius (Redtenbacher)? Brought into culture by Peter Heusi who used the code name PHCP 8/94 before it was added to the PSG list and provided the following information From Vietnam. Females 127mm, males 90mm. Both have short wings, reaching about halfway down the abdomen. Females are light green with brown wings with small spines on the thorax. Males have a metallic blue thorax, and yellow brown legs, wings and abdomen, the knees are black. It feeds on Bfamble and is quite easy to rear. When disturbed they produce an odour like bad smelling soap. Peter sent me photographs of the male and female which I used to identify it, so the identification is not certain. PSG 175 Diesbachia tamyris (Westwood). The stock came from Sumatra although the species is better known from West Malaysia. It feeds on Bramble, Oak, Pyracantha and Rose. Lengths: female 115mm, male 90mm, wingspan: female 130mm, male 100mm (measurements taken from my West Malaysian specimens). This is one of the few species of Phasmids offered for sale by dealers in preserved insects, so members may be familiar with the bright pink and brown wings of

5 65:5 this species. Several members in mainland Europe have this species in culture. I do not know who identified this culture. PSG 176 Staelonchodes geniculates (Gray) I am told that the stock came from Singapore. This species also occurs in West Malaysia. Lengths: female 125mm, male 90mm. It feeds on Bramble, Oak and Privet. N O T E S O N S O M E S P E C I E S O N T H E P S G C U L T U R E L I S T by Phil Bragg 1. I D E N T I T Y OF PSG 164 I was recently given some o f this species and realised that it is not Parapachymorpha nigra Brunner I have recently learned that it has been just described as Parapachymorpha quadrispinosa by Hennemann, Gehler & Conle. 2. O R I G I N OF PSG 152 Although there have been various short notes on this species (PSG Newsletter, 56:5, 62:8, 63: 3), there has been no detailed information about the origin o f the culture. The original specimens were collected by Allan Harman in 1992 from two localities in Venezuela. Allan collected two females, one from Rio Parucito in the Amazonas Territory o f Venezuela on 2 1 August and one from Yuataje on the River Manapiare in the Atures department o f Venezuela on 22nd August. s t 3 O R I G I N OF PSG 168 I have just been informed that Tony James collected this species from Grenada. 4 SIZES OF SPECIES Michael Lazenby kindly pointed out that in the last Newsletter I omitted to mention the size o f the new additions to the species list. To rectify that, here are the approximate lengths for those species: PSG 164 female 75mm. PSG 165 female 55mm, male 40mm. PSG 166 female 65mm, male 50mm. PSG 167 male 100mm (female larger). PSG 168 female 90mm, male 70mm. PSG 169 female 115 mm, male 90mm. 5. Identity o f PSG 116 I cannot remember who originally had PSG 116 in culture and I know nothing about it for certain. However, there is a culture o f Pseudophasma bispinosa (Redtenbacher) in culture, feeding on privet. As nothing has previously been published about PSG 116,1 am treating this as the same culture. This culture was collected by Andrew Neal in Ecuador, and sent to Dave Garthwaite who sold it at several exhibitions. Several PSG members purchased this species from Dave. I believe it was identified by Paul Brock. The original culture was sexually reproducing, I'm not sure i f this is still the case. 6. PSG 55. Baculum insueta This species is now back in culture. It has been passed around the group under three different names during the past year Baculum nematodes, Baculum vagans, and Baculum valgus. I f you have any of this species please make sure that you refer to it as PSG 55 when giving any away. Although I do not have any material o f the original culture o f PSG 55, both Paul Brock and John Sellick do have material and both agree that the culture in question is the same as the original PSG 55. The egg was illustrated in Phasmid Studies, 2(1): 13, figure G; however the eggs which John had available for illustration were damaeed so the onerculum is not auite correct To

6 65:6 further confuse things, there are cultures from at least two localities, giving different coloured males (orange and "blue"), and the eggs are slightly variable. IDENTIFICATION OF PSG 122 FROM BELIZE by Paul Brock (No 26) Whilst recently studying the outstanding Orthoptera collection at The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, U.S.A., I confirmed the identification of PSG 122, by comparison with the holotype female as follows: Anisomorpha monstrosa Hebard, 1932:214 Hebard, M New species and records of Mexican Orthoptera. Transactions of The American Entomological Society 58: Type locality - MEXICO: Merida, Yucatan. The type locality is close to Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, where the present culture stock was collected. This is a very attractive black species, with orange blotches, originally reared in good numbers by Michael Lazenby & Frances Holloway, who kindly provided me with specimens several years ago. A colour photograph of a pair of this species [as Anisomorpha buprestoides] is included in the October 1995 edition of Datz Aquarien Terrarien magazine, in a beautifully illustrated article on the culture of the species (in German) by D. Schulten. Colour photographs of several species include Calynda brocki from Costa Rica, see pages CANARY ISLAND PHASMIDS - information wanted I have recently been contacted by someone who is producing a check list of insectsfromthe Canary Islands. They have asked for information about which species of Phasmids occur there, and on which particular islands they are found. I have been unable to find any published information although I know of one record in press. If anyone has any information, or if they know anyone who has collected there, would they please contact me and I will pass on the information: Phil Bragg, 51 Longfield Lane, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 4DX (Tel: ). 2 FanoorW Road Chatham Kant ME5 8DE by Jacques Potvin. 0t«34^i642i Members will be able to obtain this new limited publication at the AGM in January. It is in A4 Format and consists of 251 pages. It is a collection of 215 drawings of Stick - Insects (130 different species) in Indian ink and all drawings show the full size Stick or Leaf Insect. For the smaller species a supplementary enlargement is given. There is also a classification of the drawn Insect. The book will be priced at if it is collected at the AGM or is available by post by sending a Eurocheque for (or BEF. 1600) to. Mr Jacques Potvin, Brusselbaan 7, 1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium. Don't forget your name & address (in CAPITALS) and your PSG Membership Number. "PHASMATODEA"

7 65:7 M O R E INFORMATION ON T H E PHASMID DATABASE by Phil Bragg The information given in Phasmid Studies about the Phasmid Database is only a brief overview. I have tried to avoid going into too much detail in the Phasmid Studies articles because the finer details would be of little interest to most readers, and users of the Database would have the details to hand. However from Paul's comments in the last Newsletter I realise that perhaps I should have said a bit more on the scope of the information in the Database. To put things in context, I have calculated that a printout of the Phasmid Database (as it stands at present) would occupy pages of Phasmid Studies. The Genera, dbf file and the associated Genera, dbt file of version 1.5 contain the information listed in previous issues of Phasmid Studies and as I have previously indicated {Phasmid Studies 3(2): 37), there is information on the type designations. There are fields stating who designated the type species, where it was published (publication, date, page), if it is a junior homonym, a replacement name, or a junior synonym. The memo field contains an explanation of the type selection in cases where this is not otherwise obvious; in all cases of junior synonyms or homonyms there is a reference to the senior name. In my comments on the type species (Phasmid Studies 3(2): 38) I mentioned Rehn's paper of 1904 but omitted to list it in the references at the end. Although Rehn comments on the author of Bacteria, the database entry was not complete because I am not relying on secondary sources, I am trying to check all the relevant literature. In this case there were several publications by Latreille which mentioned Phasmids between 1804 and 1827 which I had been unable to check; this was particularly important because there was no way of knowing if Rehn had checked them all. The Database (v. 1.5) entry for Bacteria did contain a note referring to Rehn's comments on the genus. I have now checked Latreille's publications and in this case Rehn's conclusions appear to be correct. Rehn's 1904 paper does however provide an example of the necessity of checking, his selection of the type for Graeffea was wrong because he overlooked the first publication of the name and selects a species which was not originally included in the genus. There remain a few more cases in the Database where I have not yet been unable to obtain the relevant literature. At present the species information in the released version is very limited, only giving the details in the original publication, and in some cases additional distribution data. The version which I am developing contains (at present) 5-10 times as much information as version 1.5. The Species.dbf file (development version) gives the valid name and author for each species and indicates junior synonyms, junior homonyms, replacement names, location of type specimens. Fields for subgenera and subspecies are included although they were not in version 1.5. The associated Species, dbt file gives complete synonymy for each species. The "finished" version will of course never exist, I keep thinking of new areas of information to add (given the funds and time, I could buy a new computer and a new database system, and scan in illustrations and descriptions of all species... then there's this idea about distribution maps...). I aim to make the information available by releasing new versions when a particular area is (more or less) complete and likely to be useful to other people; inevitably this means some bits will not have been checked and will need correcting or completing. The Database does contain a disclaimer to this effect! Some omissions are due to changing the original scope of the database (e.g. subgenera and subspecies were not originally included and are still in the process of being added), others are due to difficulties in checking original publications. Their wil all sew bee sum tiepin an smelling erras!

8 65:8 S E V E R A L T Y P E S O F B O T T O M SUBSTRATE by Wim Potvin (No 916) Many inexperienced Phasmid breeders regularly ask me what is the best substrate to use on the bottom of the cages, and so I have decided to write down some different methods. Ordinary Bought Peat & Soil This seems to be a very good substrate as it looks very natural. It actually is very practical too, as it helps to keep the humidity in the cages. As long as it does not get too wet, mould is not usually a problem either. The eggs that are laid automatically get incubated in the cage on a humid layer of peat or soil. Especially for Eurycantha, Heteropteryx and other species that bury eggs, this is a good substrate (when several centimetres deep of course). When the nymphs hatch, they immediately have food. However problems with this type of substrate can occur if it is allowed to dry out, it then can form a hard crust which is not easily moistened again properly. There always occurs a cleft between the cage side and the crust, where small nymphs and eggs can fall into. Moreover, the laid eggs will become dried out too. Another disadvantage is that it is not easy to collect eggs from substrate. When a cage does need cleaning out, it will probably mean that you will have a lot of work trying to find eggs, especially if they are small ones and have the same colouring as the soil. Dry sifted peat or soil By drying and sifting peat you get a very dusty substrate, sifted soil is a little better. The main advantage is that you can clean out the cage more easily, sift the substrate again and just pick out the eggs from the part that did not pass through the sieve. This is a good substrate for species that bury eggs. Unfortunately eggs from a species like Parapachymorpha spinosa (very small eggs) will go through a standard sieve, and using an even finer sieve it tends to get blocked easily. Another disadvantage with this substrate is that being dry it cannot easily be moistened, therefore you will have to collect eggs regularly (maybe each month), otherwise they will dry out. White sand This is probably a better substrate as a finer sieve can be used. It is not dusty and does not make the cage as dirty as either peat or soil. It is better to use dry sand, because on wet sand the frass goes mouldy immediately. Also this substrate has to be sifted out each month or so, otherwise the eggs dry out too much. Sand does not look that natural, but it brightens up the cage, especially when it is fresh and white. This is not such a good substrate for egg burying species, as it is more difficult for them to get their ovipositor into the hard layer. Vermiculite This is a very good substrate to keep the cage humid. I would advise it for use with Dares, Epidares, Hoploclonia, etc. because these species need a high humidity. The eggs will hatch easily on this substrate. Egg collecting is more difficult as vermiculite cannot be sifted. It is wise not to keep too many sticks in the cage with this type of substrate on the base as their droppings makes the vermiculite dirty very quickly, mould problems can then occur. Cleaning out a cage with dirty vermiculite on the base and with eggs mixed in, is not a nice job to do. Also vermiculite can be more expensive. Wood chips This is an ideal substrate for reptiles, not for Phasmids. Moistening it will give mould problems and collecting eggs can be very difficult Moreover, it does not look natural at all, however I tried it out, but only once!

9 65:9 Just nothing Why use a substrate? To give us more work! No, using a substrate can create humidity, and maybe the most important reason, it prevents eggs sticking to the cage bottom when you spray the cage. By trying to get them off the floor, you can easily damage them. Also the frass gets stuck and makes the cage look really dirty. Nevertheless, no substrate can be a nice solution! Just think of Bacillus and Clonopsis Sticks that do not need spraying. When you dont spray the cage, the eggs nor droppings will not stick to the floor, and the eggs don't need that much humidity, so why use a substrate then? It is easier to clean out the cage and to collect the eggs when no substrate is used. For Ramulus, things are different, they glue their eggs themselves. You can then try to get them of the cage wall by weakening the glue using a wet paint brush. Newspaper A sheet of newspaper can be used, folded according to the size of the cage floor. This substrate can help to keep the cage humid and will also allow you to clean the cage out more easily. However cleaning has to be done on a regular basis (maybe every fortnight) in order to keep the cage clean. I f the cage is sprayed much, the eggs can stick to the newspaper. Tissue paper or toilet paper This substrate is very good to keep high humidity in the cage, and is also very easy to replace. I would recommend it for Phyllium sp. Then you would only need to spray the tissue or toilet paper daily, this giving sufficient humidity for the whole cage and prevents the small nymphs from drowning in water droplets. There are other substrates that I have tried out in my five years of experience in breeding Phasmids. Of course everyone has to decide for themselves which substrate is the best for which species. I have only given some advice here, but would not recommend using substrate like small stones, these are more useful in aquariums. (Wood chips that are used for reptiles tend to be Beech chips and maybe purchased from a reputable reptile shop. Wood shavings which are available from most pet shops may contain traces of wood preservatives which can be harmful to insects, and it is therefore advisable to steer dear of these) ORIGIN O F T H E NAME Carausius by Phil Bragg I've just been looking back through the June Newsletter and noticed John Sellick's note on the origin of Carausius (Newsletter 63: 6). It is very likely that Stal did name the genus after "Emperor" Carausius, Stal used a lot of names of kings e.g. Pylaemenes - king of the Paphlagonians, and Tisamertus - king of Argos. The name Dares appears to come from Dareus, the name of several Persian kings, in this case I presume the name was deliberately changed by Stal as it appears as Dares in two different sections of his paper. The genus which Stal described immediately before Carausius is Phraortes, this is probably a variation on the spelling of one of several kings of Parthia; different spellings were used, my dictionary lists "Phraates" and "Phrahates", the substitution of "or" for the second "a" seems a likely possibility. Not all his genera were named after rulers, other names from classical literature were also used: Clitarchus was a historian who wrote a biography of Alexander the Great; Hyrtacus was a character featuring in Virgilius' poetry. Haaniella srayi eravi ALSO SPRAYING! by Wim Potvin Other species like Haaniella dehaani and Aretaon asperrimus have been observed before spraying a liquid from behind their head. Recently I noticed it with an adult female of H. grayi grayi too, again with a lamp behind it. I wonder if all the species of the subfamily Heteropteryginae do this 9

10 65:10 OBSERVATIONS OF BEHAVIOUR IN Parahvrtacus eorkomi (PSG 90) by Anthony O'Brien (No 1464) Recently whilst observing PSG 90 males over subsequent nights, I noticed something that each male of the species tended to do exactly, so I decided to write and ask if any other members have observed the same. Each male began to wash first his left antenna, and then the right antenna. They always appeared to do this washing in the same particular way before setting off in search of a mate. I f a female passed them before they had washed their antenna, they showed no interest. Yet after washing, if a female approached they would immediately begin to mate with her. Being a new member, I wonder whether this is normal behaviour for this species, or whether this is some mating ritual. (Ed If any other members have observed these "mating rituals" amongst either this or any other species please write in with your findings) Aretaon asverimmus (PSG 118). R E G A R D I N G RUBBING by Anthony O'Brien In the September Newsletter 64:10, Alex Hughes (No 1419) mentioned about his PSG 118 female rubbing. I too have had this similar behaviour. Whilst changing the bramble in the cage that I keep my PSG 118 in, and having sprayed the Bramble, my females tend to go straight onto a damp patch of a leaf and begin rubbing vigorously. They also almost roll over making sure that their sides are wet, and again rub vigorously. On a separate occasion whilst my Eurycantha coriacea was drinking out of a saucer, a PSG 118 came over to the saucer and after drinking, began to rub vigorously in the water itself, and again began rolling over in the water. Is this a way of washing themselves? Or is it perhaps as Alex has thought a way of releasing a sexual Pheromone as I am interested in this behaviour. Perhaps other members may have seen similar behaviour and may have an answer or suggestion to why sticks should do this. Perhaps Alex Hughes would like to contact me (address in "Wants & Exchange") as I should like to discuss this behaviour with him in more detail. SKIN SHEDDING P R O B L E M S WITH Trachvthorax maculicmis bywimpotvin When raising nymphs of this species, no problems occurred at first. They shed their skins properly until the final skin shed. They would start the procedure and then fall to the bottom of the cage before they had completed the shed. Result, they all got stuck in their old skins and had bad wings and legs when rescued, and inevitably they would die a few days later. Even putting them in a separate cage (so they could not be disturbed) didn't help, they just fell backwards halfway through the moult. I then heard from Frank Hennemann that they must be kept dry, and so I tried this. I observed them every evening and then I saw a sub adult that was ready to shed it's skin lying on the cage floor with it's legs widespread. I turned over the lid and laid it in the same attitude onto the gauze of the lid. It attached it's legs to it, and then I turned the lid over carefully and put it back onto the cage. It immediately started the procedure of skin shedding. I then sprayed the cage lightly. The next day I saw it hanging on the lid, well developed, but with it's wings badly formed Two days later I again helped a sub adult female by hanging her onto the cage lid, but this time I did not spray the cage. The next morning she was a beautifully developed female, with beautiful wings. The same has happened with the other two sub adult females that I had left The males unfortunately all died before I knew about the spraying. It does not sound very logical not to spray this species as it originates from Burma, a tropical country. Nevertheless, keeping them dry proves to be more successful.

11 65:11 STICK INSECT CRUELTY by Peter Ashby-Saracen (No 1470) On a recent visit to one of the Lake District's premier Garden Centres, I was very disturbed to see the conditions under which some Indian Stick Insects (incidentally being sold for 4.50 each!) were being kept. They were in a heated vivarium containing a piece of driftwood and gravel, but without a scrap of vegetation of any description. The visible sticks were severely emaciated and appeared in some instances close to death. I contacted the Manager and offered advice, and was glad to see, on my next visit, fresh Bramble and much healthier sticks. However on my third visit, the Bramble was extremely withered and the sticks looked very unhappy once more. I wonder if there is any excuse for such ignorance of even the most basic needs of livestock, and I wonder if this was an isolated incident. (Editor. No this is not an isolated instance, in fact I have recently been passed a letter from Ashley Malone (No 1295) and Michael Richard's (No 1477) who live in the West Midlands, reporting of a large Pet Shop (which advertises on the TV and in the local Press) having on display jars of dead sticks. The jars also contained dead food. In Newsletter 59:5, an article entitled "A Warning - Look after those Sticks" reported on two men who had been fined each for mistreating three stick insects. RSPCA Officers had found a tank containing the sticks, in a basement, with dead foliage in. An expert adviser to the RSPCA had said " Insects are animals in their own right and they do have rights to the basic needs for their own welfare, such as food and water" Should Members feel that a shop that is selling stick insects is not treating them as they should be treated, and the problem persists, then perhaps the next course of action should be a phone call to your local RSPCA) USEFUL TIPS In several Newsletters members have written in suggesting various methods of keeping foodplants supported and fresh in cages. I am suprised that no-one has suggested using wet oasis. Large blocks can be bought fairly cheaply at flower stalls and florists. The oasis can then be cut according to the size of the cage. When saturated, pieces should be wrapped underneath in cling-film, and the foodplant arranged. This method will keep cuttings fresh for up to two weeks and, of course, solves the problem of drowning nymphs. Surprisingly, the sticks also like to lay their eggs in it! Katy Pettit (No 1076) "T - SHIRTS" "T - Shirts with the design of Oreophoetes peruana, Aretaon asperrimus and Heteropteryx dilatata are now available from The Editor, Paul Taylor (address at end of Newsletter). Sizes available are Large and Extra Large, and the cost, still only 5.00 plus p&p. (UK mainland 1.00 p&p, Overseas 1 50 p&p) Cheques should be made payable to "The Phasmid Study Group" and don't forget to state your size, name and address and which "T - shirt" Oreophoetes peruana, Aretaon asperrimus or Heteropteryx dilatata

12 65:12 WANTS & SURPLUS Urgently required for 3 frustrated male PSG 111 Eurycantha coriacea. Female/females of PSG 111. Also required, ova/nymphs of PSG 23 and 44. Also do any members have Eurycantha horrida in culture, as I would like to obtain this species. A O'Brien (No 1464), 24 Highbury Terrace, Redbrook, Monmouth, Gwent, NP5 4NA. I have surplus ova of PSG 9 Extatosoma tiaratum and PSG 118 Aretaon asperrimus for exchange, and I am looking for ova or nymphs of PSG 23, 18, and 32. Peter Ashby-Saracen (No 1470). 56 Kendall Street, Carlisle, CA2 5UF. 9: Urgently required female (preferably adult) Aplopus sp (PSG 48) for a lonely and rather frustrated male. Also ova or nymphs of PSG 2, 13, 112. Ashley Brandon (No 1423), 32 Beechfield, Newton Toney, Nr. Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP4 OHH. NEXT NEWSLETTER Please send all contributions to the Editor: Paul Taylor, 24 Forge Road, Shustoke, Coleshill, Birmingham, B46 2AU. England. V : to reach me by 1st February 1996, or preferably earlier. Contributions can be accepted in the following forms. a. Hand-written. b. Typed c. On IBM compatible computer disk providing it is sent on a 3.5" double or high density disk. Files can be accepted as Dos Text, Microsoft Wordfor Windows, Microsoft Works or as ASCII files. All contributions to the Newsletter will be deemed to be submitted to the French GEP he Monde des Phasmes, the Belgian-Dutch Phasma and the German Arthropoda for translation. NOTICE It is to be directly understood that all views, opinions or theories, expressed in the pages of "The Newsletter" are those of the authors) concerned. All announcements of meetings, requests for help or information, are accepted as bona fide. Neither the Editor, nor Officers of "The Phasmid Study Group", can be held responsible for any loss, embarrassment or injury that might be sustained by reliance thereon. "The Phasmid Study Group"