Common Name : Jungle Nymph Stick Insect
Scientific Name : Heteropteryx dilatata

Size : Adult pair (male & female)
Status : Captive Bred
Food: Bramble, Oak, Ivy

The most impressive stick insect ever! Female is huge, bulky and bright green, the male is more slender and brown with beautiful cerise wings.

How I keep mine

I keep my Wood Nymphs and Jungle Nymphs slightly differently  to the way I keep the more traditional 'stick like' stick insects. I find they thrive in a warm, humid environment and need the space to move around freely. Like all stick insects they must hang upside down to moult successfully and they therefore require a cage that is tall rather than long. I find a fish tank with a lid is good, it doesn't need to be a new one as there is no need for it to be water-tight. A lot of people throw out old tanks and it is easy enough to make a lid with netting. A tank turned on its end  works well. I place a heat mat on the back or side of the tank and put peat, coir or vermiculite on the base (depth 6-8cm) . The substrate helps maintain moisture and these stick insects also lay their eggs in it. Once again, a more expensive option for housing  is an Exo Terra vivarium. They are super cages for keeping a large range of pet bugs.

I feed the stick insects mostly on bramble but they also seem to enjoy a little Oak (evergreen Oak in the winter) and rose.  I place the stems in a jar of water and put tissue around the neck of the jar so that they don't drown themselves. I change the food once or twice a week and top up the water in the jar as necessary. I spray the stick insects with tepid water each  day if I feel they need it but I do try to keep the tank humid by covering some of the ventilation in the lid with a plastic sheet/cling film. I find this is most important during the winter when the radiators are on and they dry out the room.