Housing:
This species, like most small climbing Ectobiids, should be started out in a fairly small enclosure that's higher than it is wide, something like a gallon jar works perfect for a starter culture. Once their numbers rise you can house them in something larger, but don't overdo it at first, as smaller nymphs can have a hard time finding food in a very spacious enclosure. Since all life stages climb very well, and small nymphs are thin enough to slip through tiny cracks, and might drown or even climb past most slick climbing barriers hobbyists use, their lid will need to be airtight, and ventilation should be provided in the form of microscreen, or a LOT of pinholes.
The substrate should be a thin layer of coconut fiber or something similar, and plenty of hides in the form of leaf litter, bark pieces, and even fake or live plants. "Roach-huts" made of cork or plywood can be used too for maximizing space in larger cultures. This species is both arboreal and diurnal, and thus they prefer a bit of height to their setup, as well as lots of hides and decor to hide under and perch on, all life stages will be active on decor and the sides of the container even during the day.
This species does best when kept quite consistently humid, but needs at least a moderate level of ventilation, as stagnant air can make colonies sickly and kill adults prematurely. Just make sure you don't add too much ventilation, as you don't want them drying out much in between waterings, that can prove to be a fatal mistake. Also make sure your ventilation holes aren't big enough for the hatchlings to escape from.
Alternatively, you can give them a minimally ventilated setup with live plants inside, which will both provide them with oxygen, and give them places to perch. This species is well suited for planted enclosures due to the fact that they are diurnal and don't fear light, which is needed to grow most plants.
This species is pretty skittish, and in addition to all life stages climbing well, the adults are fantastic fliers. For Ectobiids like these, it can be quite useful to have a hole or two cut out in the sides of their enclosure for maintenance, preferably big enough to remove old food and such with tongs. These holes can be plugged up with a sponge or something similar, and really come in handy for feeding and watering your colony, as well as removing uneaten food without the need to open up the lid.
However, I have noticed that the nymphs of this species in particular can clump around the sponge in the enclosure at times, making it a pain to open the ports up without nymphs escaping, at times it can actually be easier to just do maintenance by popping off the lid of the container.
Diet:
This species is a palynivore in the wild, and so when it comes to protein they prefer pollen/artificial pollen to conventional dog/cat/chick feed, however they'll eat the latter if pollen isn't available. They also love fresh fruits in my experience.
Diet:
This species is a palynivore in the wild, and so when it comes to protein they prefer pollen/artificial pollen to conventional dog/cat/chick feed, however they'll eat the latter if pollen isn't available. They also love fresh fruits in my experience.
Just be sure not to overfeed them too much, as tiny nymphs can get tangled up in mold strands from uneaten food, and small Ectobiids in general can be pretty sensitive to grain mite infestations.
I suggest using small milk or juice caps as food bowls for this species, and if your enclosure is pretty large, you may need more than one food bowl, to make sure the small nymphs can find food when they need to.
Temperature:
I suggest using small milk or juice caps as food bowls for this species, and if your enclosure is pretty large, you may need more than one food bowl, to make sure the small nymphs can find food when they need to.
Temperature:
This species seems to breed best at temperatures from 74-85F°, but may breed at slightly lower temps as well. Supposedly this species does not appreciate rapid and/or drastic temperature fluctuations, however I've not had any issues with that personally.
Breeding/Life cycle:
Adults typically live for 2-3 months, with males dying first. Females lay very thin oothecae which they usually bury in substrate, but may sometimes adhere to bark or other decor. The oothecae only take about 2-3 months to hatch, maybe even quicker if kept in the higher 80F° range, and the resulting nymphs take around 3-4 months to mature if kept warm enough.
Breeding/Life cycle:
Adults typically live for 2-3 months, with males dying first. Females lay very thin oothecae which they usually bury in substrate, but may sometimes adhere to bark or other decor. The oothecae only take about 2-3 months to hatch, maybe even quicker if kept in the higher 80F° range, and the resulting nymphs take around 3-4 months to mature if kept warm enough.
This species does not seem to mind overcrowding, nor frass and dead body buildups much at all, and while smaller colonies might be sensitive to large numbers of certain springtails like Sinella curviseta, larger healthy colonies will usually outcompete them. However, they can still be pretty sensitive to lapses in care, especially when it comes to drying out, yet stuffy, stagnant air is also a no go.
When all is said and done, these are some of the most prolific, easy to breed Ectobiids available in the hobby IMO, and certainly have good feeder potential for arboreal predators such as mantids and certain spiders.
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