The stick insects provided by Dynamic Science Education are small immature nymphs of approximately 3-4 cms long. They feed on eucalyptus leafs and as such it should be easy to obtain the right food source. When searching for the right food source it is recommended that you first crush some leaves in your fingers. If there is a strong eucalyptus oil smell then offer this type to the stick insects. It will be obvious if this is the right food source as the insects will soon start to feed on leaves. Stick insects do not need a source of water as they get all their water requirements from the leaves they eat.
Cut a small branch with a few leaves and place the insects on the leaves. Place the branch in a small container of water to keep it fresh. Change the branch every 4 days.
You may keep the insects in a small aquarium but keep the lid on as these insects like to wander. During first and fourth term no artificial heat source is required but during the cold winter months a 25W globe may be used as a heat source to keep the temperature between 20-25 degrees. The Masters of Deception enclosure is ideal for keeping stick insects.
Stick insects will shed their skin several times before reaching maturity. Often students will come back in the morning to find the remains of a shed skin. Stick insects will eat the skin they have just shed.
Stick insects should be handled with care and never allow students to pull them off clothing or other material as this can easily damage their limbs. Allow the insects to crawl on their own onto the hands of different students. Just place the hand in front of them and they will crawl on. Mature female insects can produce fertile eggs. Simply collect the eggs that you find and after 12 months place them on moist tissue paper. You may be lucky and start a new lifecycle.
Crack open an egg every so often to see what progress the embryos are making. When the nymphs emerge from the egg they are extremely mobile and climb up the first vertical object they encounter. It is important that small openings in the enclosure are sealed as the nymphs will escape.

To order insects fax Dynamic Science Education on (03)
9560 7540.