Sooty Longwing

Description

Every once in a while we like to throw up a novelty to the site, like these Sooty Longwings. They are big. Really big! They remind me of male Heteropteryx dilatata Jungle Nymphs stick-insects, but I’m not sure even most bug people can relate since the phasmid hobby isn’t quite what it was 30 years ago when I put the site up, originally about the 100+ species of them I once raised.

Adult males $15. Sorry, no females at this time. No idea what remaining lifespan are on these since they just come to our porch lights. But they are too cool not to share with people who will otherwise not ever get a chance to see one.

More than likely the adult katydids we are offering here are Capnobotes fuliginosus. Here is photo of them on bugguide…

View on Bugguide.net

These things are bigger than you think they are. Head to tip of wings, they’re about 3 inches long but if you include the antennae it’s around 6 inches of bug.

They are predatory but we usually pre-kill their prey and offer it by way of tongs, just because we like to personally assure that they are feeding well (and quickly). They have good appetites! We’ve got a lot of bugs to take care of. 😉

Offer them a fairly large tank with some sticks or other textured items to help them move around and especially if you are using a loose soil, like dryish coconut fiber. They are big bugs and like to move around. These are desert bugs but they are nocturnal and so they do need some humidity. You’ll see them drinking off the sides of the tank if you mist them.

They have painful bites if your hand gets too close. Their legs are also covered in spines, so have fun with that! 😉