Monday 13th July

This week: New spiders arrived at the weekend and are now showing on the website :)

Coronavirus (Corvid 19)
I am doing my best to keep going. Ginny's Jungle is unable to run and my main customers at this time of year, being educational establishments, are just reopening and probably not in a position to purchase yet. I am still caring for the daily needs of all my animals and I am continuing to send out orders and am also accepting orders for collection at the door. I have added the following additions to my regular terms and conditions:
1) I will despatch orders as soon as possible (you will receive an email with the tracking number once the parcel has been despatched).
2) Royal Mail are doing a good job, they are still guaranteeing next day delivery but it may be a little later in the day than usual (just a few orders have arrived a day late over the virus period and no animals have suffered as a result).
3) If a refund is required for any reason this will be given in the form of a voucher (to be used on my website within the following 12 months)
4) You are welcome to call and collect your order from me. Simply let me know what you want and when you would like to collect.

Thank you for your support, understanding and patience at this very difficult time for us all. Please feel free to call with any enquiries, I am available Mon-Friday 8am - 4pm on 07971 838724

Description
Reviews (1)

Common Name: Red Spotted Assassin Bug
Scientific Name: Platymeris rhadamanthus

Size: Nymph x 3
Status: Captive Bred

Large and impressive (approx. 4 cm). Feed on crickets, wax worms etc. Black with red spots.

Caution - These insects can sting and squirt a noxious fluid, painful on contact with eyes. Not for children, but they make an interesting exhibit.

How I keep mine

I keep my assassin bugs in large plastic boxes, I use peat, coir or vermiculite as a substrate (depth of about 4cm) and place pieces of bark or egg trays on the floor for the bugs to hide under. They would do just as well in a tank but I don't have the space in my bug room! They like to be warm and as with most bugs it is good to have a dry and damp area within the cage if possible. I have a heat mat covering about a third of the base but this isn't ideal as they lay eggs in the substrate. If you are keeping them in a tank I would suggest putting a heat mat on the side or back. I feed my Assassin bugs once or twice a week on various small creatures. I feed mostly crickets but sometimes, cockroaches, mealworms, wax worms and also maggots. The bugs will eat the maggots and will also feed on hatching flies. Although Assassin bugs are ferocious hunters they seem to live well in a colony. I have never tried to keep the different species together and I really wouldn't recommend it. I'm not sure how long the eggs take to hatch but I would guess a few months, similar to stick insects. The nymphs are quite slow growing and the adults seem to live for many months or more. Please do take care and try not to handle, use plastic pots to move them around. I have been bitten on more than one occasion and it is very painful indeed! They do however make an excellent display as they are always active.