stanislas

It also depends on the type of wood and how to decayed. So it can be white and spongy, but also be brown and crumble. I generally stick to the rule: if I can scratch the wood off with my fingernails, the roaches will be able to eat it. And if the wood comes from the right kind of tree (wood that's not toxic for roaches) the roaches will decide themselves that they prefer. When in doubt, you can always experiment by offering different kinds of rotten wood. My Panesthia roaches do eat a lot of wood, but leave the harder parts alone. Which in turn gives me 'interestingly' shaped pieces of wood once they're done.

Sounds familiar.... If I boil or otherwise sterilize wood, it tends to overgrow with fungi. Those range from green to very hairy. Bark can contain enough food to become overgrown with fungi. And there are always fungi and bacteria on *any* surface, but they keep each other in check. Once you boil the bark, the balance get's disturbed and one species can colonize the whole surface. At least that's how I see it. What to do? Clean it at 40-50 degree, so that not all microorganisms get killed, or what I often do: bury/cover the bark in/with balanced soil of compost so that it get's recolonized in a more balance way. I just take some substrate from a roach bin of bury it in there and wait for a week or so. Another option is to have it dry thoroughly before adding it to the enclosure. Without moisture, these fungi won't grow,

I use coco coir, mixed with dead oak leaves for most of my roaches and a layer of leaves on top. I also add (depending on the species), pieces of bark (alder, birch etc.) to provide a hiding space. For the species that eat wood (e.g. Panestia), I use flake soil (fermented and composted oak wood chips and sawdust) and pieces of partially rotten wood (that has been laying in my garden for a few years). In case of climbing species (e.g. Thorax porcellana), I also add twigs and branches. Hornbeam leaves, or leaves from other trees that curl up when dried is very suitable if you have small species that like to hide (e.g. Perisphaerus pygmaeus). The downside of some substrates is that that are fungus gnat magnets, so I add soil from other enclosures in new ones, because that contains predatory mites that seem to control fungus gnat. Th roaches itself don't seem to be bother much by the little flies, but my wife does object having them around in large quantities in our house.

Just my 2 cent based on my collection: * Eublaberus distanti: non climbing, tolerant for room temperature, adult visible at night, burrows, slow life cycle at lower temperatures. * Eupolyphaga sinensis: females non climbing, tolerant for lower temperatures, very hardy, burrows, slow life cycle, but many eggs. * Hemiblabera tenebricosa: non climbing, tolerant for and reproducing at lower temperatures, adult often visible, burrows, relatively fast reproducing. * Hyporhicnoda reflexa: non climbing, tolerant for room temperature, hidden life, burrows, slow reproduction. * Loboptera decipiens: climbing, tolerant for room temperature, often visible, not burrowing, fast reproducing. * Lucihormetica verrucosa: climbing, tolerant for room temperature, very visible, burrows and hides in wood, fast reproducing. * Panchlora nivea: climbing adults, can fly well, tolerant for room temperature, often visible, nymph burrow, fast reproducing. * Panesthia angustipennis angustipennis: non climbing, tolerant for room temperature and below, very hidden life, burrows, very slow reproduction. * Polyphaga aegyptiaca: females non climbing, tolerant for lower temperatures, very hardy, burrows, slow life cycle, but many eggs. * Polyphaga obscura: females non climbing, tolerant for lower temperatures, very hardy, burrows, slow life cycle, slow reproduction. * Polyphaga saussurei: females non climbing, tolerant for lower temperatures, very hardy, burrows, slow life cycle, slow reproduction. * Pseudoglomeris magnifica: climbing, males fly well, tolerant for lower temperatures, pleasure to see, but often hidden, not burrowing, slow life cycle, slow reproduction. * Perisphaerus pygmaeus: climbing, males fly well, tolerant for room temperatures, often hidden, not burrowing. * Schizopilia fissicollis: climbing, tolerant for room temperatures, often hidden, males visible as they fight a lot, not burrowing, relatively fast life cycle, fast reproduction.

Welcome! Ah yes..., the ever growing number of species in a collection.... What's your decision tree when it comes to limiting the collection? Only rare species? Size, locality, difficulty in keeping? And thanks for the pictures you showed here!

How is the care for Thorax porcellana like? Food, substrate, temperature, moisture etc. Do the nymphs borrow in the soil? Are they active during the day, or the night? How big are the adult? Just asking, because I'll get this species soon. Thanks!

Yes, they are indeed. Although males do exist, but they aren't available in the hobby (yet). They are quite slow in reproducing. The cycle from nymph to nymph takes 3 year here. I started with 7, lost 3 adults along the way, and now I have around 70 nymphs (besides the remaining 4 adults). They are a rather boring species. I estimate (from camera movement detection) that they move on average 20 minutes/week. Only in the mating season they become truly active. The females then start wandering around at night, trying to climb on whatever there is available and then wait for, I assume, a male to fly by. My wife thinks it's a bit sad, all those waiting and longing female roaches waiting for their prince ...

Good to hear from you, albeit it in an unexpected way! I really do like your song! It's quite an unusual method to educate people on the subject of name revisions If there a new species to be described, can they contact you for a musical version? In any case, I shared it on my facebook page. Thanks Hisserdude!

I dug out my Polyphaga saussurei collection, to see how many I have at the moment. 3 Adults and many nymphs. And while they were together, I noticed them moving almost synchronous:

Ah, now I understand! Well, I myself do at times worry that I might not be able to distinguish my Polyphaga species if I ever had to. So in that sense I understand your hypothetical challenge

Welcome Cole! I'm pretty sure that your experience with all kind of invertebrates can help the roach community as well.

I beg you pardon, but why do you need to be able to distinguish nymphs? Do you have them mixed? Or has the label fallen off? I'm a bit puzzled... But to be fair, I cannot directly help you with your question, as I do not have multiple hisser species. Although I find it very hard, next to impossible, to tell apart the nymphs of certain other related species.

Build a trap?

I pity that you live that far away (Belgium - Ohio is about 6527 km / 4056 miles). Otherwise you could get some excess roaches.

I think you should exercise some more patience. Could be that: - The adults aren't ready yet to reproduce. - The adults are very old. - It takes at least two month for the eggs to be ready. So... - Lower temperatures will result in longer hatching times. - Etc... None the less, I'm often impatient myself when I have new roaches. And patience one must have with some species... Good luck with your roaches! Link to: Useful information about this species