{"product_id":"vandrende-pind-diapherodes-gigantea","title":"Large green stick insect (Diapherodes gigantea)","description":"\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eLatin name:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e Diapherodes gigantea\u003c\/em\u003e\n\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eDanish name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Stor grøn vandrende pind\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003e\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eEnglish name:\u003c\/strong\u003e Green Bean Stick Insect, Giant Lime Green Stick Insect\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDiapherodes gigantea\u003c\/em\u003e, 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. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDiapherodes gigantea\u003c\/em\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eAppearance and Characteristics\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eFemales\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eLarger and more robust than the males.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eHave a clear, bright green color that resembles fresh leaves.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eAre generally more stationary and move more slowly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eHave small, vestigial wings that are not used for flight.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eMales\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eSmaller and more slender than the females.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eHave a somewhat darker green color.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eHave fully developed wings and can fly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eAre more active and move around the terrarium more often.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSexual Maturity and Reproduction\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSexual maturity\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eDiapherodes gigantea\u003c\/em\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEgg hatching\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apieceofnature.dk\/products\/vermiculite-3-liter-0-5-mm\" title=\"Bag of vermiculite\"\u003evermiculite\u003c\/a\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCare Instructions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTerrarium\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSubstrate\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apieceofnature.dk\/products\/terrariejord\" title=\"Terrarium soil\"\u003especialized terrarium soil\u003c\/a\u003e and have \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apieceofnature.dk\/blogs\/nyheder\/bioaktivt-terrarium\" title=\"Article about the bioactive terrarium\"\u003ebioactive animals\u003c\/a\u003e in all our stick insect terrariums.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTemperature and Humidity\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apieceofnature.dk\/products\/planteforstover-gront-glas\" title=\"Glass green water mister\"\u003ewater mister\u003c\/a\u003e. Preferably use lime-free water to avoid spots on the glass. It is also through misting that the stick insects meet their drinking needs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeeding\u003c\/strong\u003e 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. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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 (\u003cem\u003eGaultheria\u003c\/em\u003e), which are evergreen and a good winter food for stick insects. However, these can be hard to find. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance\u003c\/strong\u003e Clean the terrarium regularly by removing any droppings and old leaves. Note that the eggs of most stick insects can look like their droppings!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHandling\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eFascinating Facts\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eThe Giant Lime Green Stick Insect has a unique ability to regenerate; it can grow new legs if it loses one.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eTheir natural camouflage is one of the most effective defense mechanisms in the insect world.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eThey secrete a scent to attract males during mating.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\u003cli\u003eWhen 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.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Giant Lime Green Stick Insect (\u003cem\u003eDiapherodes gigantea\u003c\/em\u003e) 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: All our stick insects are kept on a substrate of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.apieceofnature.dk\/products\/terrariejord\" title=\"Premium terrarium soil\"\u003epremium terrarium soil\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote: Our eggs are fertilized. This means they both hatch a bit faster and will produce both males and females.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e- Also see our article on \u003ca title=\"Guide to stick insect care\" href=\"https:\/\/www.apieceofnature.dk\/blogs\/nyheder\/guide-til-pasning-af-vandrende-pinde\"\u003estick insect care\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"a Piece of Nature","offers":[{"title":"10 eggs","offer_id":45205121106188,"sku":"TD-DG-001","price":13.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"3 young (approx. 5 cm)","offer_id":49229164216588,"sku":"TD-DG-002","price":13.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"1 male (approx. 6 cm)","offer_id":44612073652492,"sku":"TD-DG-003","price":12.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"1 female (approx. 6 cm)","offer_id":44612073685260,"sku":"TD-DG-004","price":12.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false},{"title":"1 pair (approx. 10 cm)","offer_id":44612073718028,"sku":"TD-DG-005","price":34.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0675\/6728\/8588\/files\/Diapherodesgigantea_4.jpg?v=1694520578","url":"https:\/\/www.apieceofnature.eu\/en\/products\/vandrende-pind-diapherodes-gigantea","provider":"a Piece of Nature","version":"1.0","type":"link"}