Large green stick insect (Diapherodes gigantea)

• Latin name: Diapherodes gigantea
• Danish name: Stor grøn vandrende pind
• English name: Green Bean Stick Insect, Giant Lime Green Stick Insect

Diapherodes gigantea, also known as the Giant Lime Green Stick Insect, is an impressive and eye-catching species that stands out with its bright green color and large size. 

Origin

Diapherodes gigantea originates from the Caribbean islands, especially Trinidad and Tobago, where it lives in tropical forests. It thrives in a warm and humid environment, where its green color helps it blend into the lush vegetation.

Appearance and Characteristics

The Giant Lime Green Stick Insect is known for its vibrant green color and impressive size. Females can grow up to 18 cm long, while males are somewhat smaller. Their slender bodies and long legs make them remarkable and easy to observe in the terrarium.

Females

• Larger and more robust than the males.
• Have a clear, bright green color that resembles fresh leaves.
• Are generally more stationary and move more slowly.
• Have small, vestigial wings that are not used for flight.

Males

• Smaller and more slender than the females.
• Have a somewhat darker green color.
• Have fully developed wings and can fly.
• Are more active and move around the terrarium more often.

Sexual Maturity and Reproduction

Sexual maturity Diapherodes gigantea reaches sexual maturity approximately 6-8 months after hatching, depending on temperature and feeding conditions. During this period, they undergo several molts, where they grow and develop their characteristic appearance. Males typically reach sexual maturity before the females.

Egg hatching After mating, the female lays eggs, which require an incubation period of about 5-12 months before they hatch, though this depends heavily on temperature and whether the eggs are fertilized or not. The female can lay several eggs a day, but usually no more than one. The eggs must be kept at a consistently high humidity and a temperature of around 25°C to ensure successful hatching. However, they can be kept at room temperature, which simply results in a longer incubation time. Place the eggs on a moist substrate like vermiculite and spray them with water a few times a week to keep them moist. Keep an eye on the eggs to ensure they do not grow mold.

This species can also reproduce parthenogenetically. This means without mating, where the offspring emerge as exact copies of their mother. Eggs that are not fertilized will usually take longer to hatch.

Care Instructions

Terrarium To provide the best conditions, you should use a terrarium that measures at least 45 x 45 x 60 cm. Good ventilation and a humid environment are important. The terrarium must also have sufficient height so that the stick insects can molt without hitting the bottom.

Substrate A good substrate should contribute to a healthy environment and help increase humidity. This can be coconut fiber or potting soil mixed with leaves, as well as the addition of bioactive animals to the base layer. We exclusively use specialized terrarium soil and have bioactive animals in all our stick insect terrariums.

Temperature and Humidity The ideal temperature is between 22-26°C during the day and can drop to 18-20°C at night. This species thrives well at room temperature without extra heat. Humidity should be kept around 70-80%, which can be achieved by daily misting of water in the terrarium with a water mister. Preferably use lime-free water to avoid spots on the glass. It is also through misting that the stick insects meet their drinking needs.

Feeding The Giant Lime Green Stick Insect is a herbivore and can be fed with leaves from blackberries, raspberries, oak, and rose bushes. It is important to ensure that the leaves have not been sprayed with pesticides. To keep the leaves fresh for longer, they can be placed in a glass of water, covered with plastic wrap with small holes. A better solution can be a jam jar where you have drilled holes in the lid for the leaves. It is important that the stick insects cannot fall into the water and drown.

In winter, it can be difficult to find suitable food. In some places, blackberries may be evergreen. Alternatively, you can freeze blackberry leaves during the summer and take them out in the winter. Thawed leaves, however, do not last as long. Other alternatives are the so-called wintergreen or salal plants (Gaultheria), which are evergreen and a good winter food for stick insects. However, these can be hard to find.

Maintenance Clean the terrarium regularly by removing any droppings and old leaves. Note that the eggs of most stick insects can look like their droppings!

Handling Although stick insects are harmless, they should be handled with care. Their fragile bodies can easily be damaged, so use gentle movements and let them crawl onto your hand instead of grabbing them.

Fascinating Facts

• The Giant Lime Green Stick Insect has a unique ability to regenerate; it can grow new legs if it loses one.
• Their natural camouflage is one of the most effective defense mechanisms in the insect world.
• They secrete a scent to attract males during mating.
• When the female is ready to lay her egg, she flicks her abdomen to catapult the egg as far away as possible. This is both to increase dispersal and to avoid attracting predators. In terrariums, this can sometimes be heard as small "clonks" when the egg hits the terrarium glass.

The Giant Lime Green Stick Insect (Diapherodes gigantea) is an ideal species for both beginners and experienced insect keepers. Their impressive appearance and fascinating behavior make them an exciting addition to any terrarium.

Note: All our stick insects are kept on a substrate of premium terrarium soil

Note: Our eggs are fertilized. This means they both hatch a bit faster and will produce both males and females.

- Also see our article on stick insect care.