Ergaula spp.

This caresheet should also be applicable to Ergaula capucina, E.pilosa, and possibly other members of the genus as well.

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Housing:

Something like a gallon container works well for a starter culture, eventually as their numbers rise, you'll want to move them to a larger enclosure. Adults can climb, so a tight lid is recommended. Moderate to high ventilation is recommended.

2-3 inches of substrate should be provided, preferably coconut fiber, potting soil, peat moss, etc., sand is highly advised against. On top of the substrate, you should also provide a 1-2 inch layer of decaying hardwood leaf litter, as this is an important part of the nymphs' diet.
No hides are needed, as nymphs and adult females spend most of their time underground, and adults will usually burrow if frightened, especially females. However, some branches and such for the males to climb around on at night might be appreciated.

In my experience, these roaches do well with a vertical humidity gradient, with a third of the substrate being kept dry, and the other two thirds pretty humid. To achieve this gradient, simply pull back the top third of the substrate, and heavily mist or pour water onto the lower layer. However, some keepers report that they breed well when the entire enclosure is kept humid but well ventilated, so it's up to you which method you use.


Diet:

Decaying leaves are important in their diet, but so is the presence of a protein based food like dog/cat/chick feed. Most fruits and veggies have gone ignored in my experience.


Temperature:

These roaches will breed when kept anywhere from 70-85F°, but breed and grow best when kept at around 75F° in my experience.


Breeding/Life cycle:

Adult females live for around 9 months, whilst males live 2-4 months. Females lay and deposit oothecae directly into the substrate, roughly once a week, (depending on the temperature), and each ooth contains around 18 eggs. The ooths take 3-4 months to hatch, and the resulting nymphs take around 6-8 months to mature, so long as they are kept warm and fed protein based foods regularly, (if kept too cool or not fed properly it can take much longer for nymphs to mature).

Overall these roaches are pretty easy to care for and breed, and are a good choice for beginner and seasoned Blatticulturists alike!