NY native Orthoptera breeding projects post #3

Amblycorypha oblongifolia, the Oblong-winged katydid.

I collected this group of 8 or 9 Amblycorypha oblongifolia nymphs back on 5/17/25 and collected some more on 5/26/25. This past week, on /11/25, I went out and collected 2 more smaller nymphs, both around 1.5cm or 0.6in. I am now up to 10 individuals. Some of the largest nymphs are roughly 2.5cm or 1in; however, there is a large range in size, with some of the smallest at 1.8cm or 0.7in long.

I have not changed my feeding schedule and still feed leafy vegetables and occasionally fruits. I have stopped offering fish flakes and other protein-rich foods as they show no interest, feeding solely on plant matter.

Their enclosure has remained the same since my last update, still in a well-ventilated 12 x 7 x 8in setup. I spray down their enclosure regularly and keep them at around 75F.

Pterophylla camellifolia, the common true katydid.

I collected 2 nymphs back on 5/17/25, and recently on 6/11/25, collected 1 more nymph (around 1.75cm or 0.7in). My two original P. camellifolia have matured substantially, darkening in color. They are both still 2.5cm or 1in long, however, they have gotten quite chunky.

I’ve been feeding them more freshly picked deciduous leaves such as maple and oak, which they readily eat, and prefer over lettuces and other vegetables I find in the kitchen.

I have moved all three P. camellifolia nymphs into a much larger, 12 x 7 x 8in enclosure, the same type of bin I have the M. rhombifolium nymphs in. The setup is pretty much the same, with a 0.5-inch coco fiber mix substrate, a small layer of assorted leaf litter, and some bark, sticks, and twigs for verticality and climbing space. I keep one side of the setup humid with sphagnum moss and the other side drier with more ventilation holes on the lid. I also keep a colony of springtails to keep the setup mold-free. I spray down their enclosure regularly and keep them at around 75F.

Meconema thalassinum, the oak bush-cricket or the drumming katydid. Technically not a native species but a very well-established introduced species, native to Europe. I do not know of any accounts of anyone trying to raise or breed this species in captivity, maybe I am the first. This is a rather common species in my area. I was able to collect over 10 of them on 5/24/25; however, unfortunately, I am down to 3 individuals. I got some exciting news! The M. thalassinum nymphs have reached a sexable size, out of the three, one so far is a confirmed female with a small developing ovipositor (check out the photo below), while the other two I suspect are male or are one molt behind the confirmed female, as they don’t have any signs of a ovipositor, or any other clear female defining characteristic.

This past week, I have introduced some flightless melanogaster in the hope that they will take some live food. Despite not witnessing any nymphs feeding on the flies, I presume they may feed on them as flies seem to be disappearing, and the M. thalassinum nymphs seem much more active than they were previously. Raw pumpkin seeds still make up for the majority of their diet, as I regularly see the nymphs make trips to the feeding dish to nibble on the seeds. Interestingly, they are very fond of bee pollen, which I fed after it was suggested by Kyle (roach crossing) for my Scudderia furcata nymphs.

The three M. thalassinum are by far my favorite species I am working with right now, being super active. They appear to be quite aggressive towards each other but seem to know to keep their distance with one another, which is most likely the reason for the deaths of the 7 other individuals. I assume they have pretty poor eyesight, as they don’t seem to detect each other prior to physical contact with their antennae.

Their enclosure has remained the same from my last update, so check it out for more info on their setup. I spray down their enclosure regularly and keep them at around 75F.

The Female nymph

Myrmecophilus pergandei, the eastern ant cricket. This is an awesome native species of ant cricket found across the eastern US. They are technically kleptoparasites living among ant colonies (of the genera Lasius, Camponatus, Formica, Aphaenogaster, Crematogaster, and Tapinoma) and are believed to feed on ant secretions and debris found in ant nests.

Unfortunately, I cannot find any M. pergandei above the substrate. I do not want to displace the substrate in hopes of finding them, as I am afraid of disturbing them if they are in tunnels in the coco fiber. I am hoping that they haven’t all died and have just retreated under the substrate. I will definitely update you in the next blog post about their status.

Ceuthophilus maculatus, the spotted camel cricket. These guys are native to southern Canada and the eastern US, being found under decaying logs, bark, and in caves. I collected a group of around 9 of these individuals back on 5/17/25. They are all adults or at least subadults, measuring 2-2.5cm or 0.75-1in long.

No real updates on the C. maculatus. I have kept the setup the same, and have been feeding a variety of foods (apple, lettuce, fish flakes…), to which they have been eating very well. No deaths, and so far I haven’t noticed any babies.

A new addition to my native Orthoptera project, Scudderia furcata, the fork-tailed katydid. This is a native species of katydid, found throughout the US and Mexico. Scudderia spp. are some of the more common genera of katydids kept in the hobby, with a lot of information on their care and husbandry. I collected a group of 5 nymphs on 6/11/25; however, I am down to 4 nymphs now, as I believe one had a mismolt. All 4 nymphs seem to be either 1st or 2nd instar, measuring around 0.8cm or 0.3in long.

I have offered a lot of different foods, such as lettuce, live maple and oak leaves, celery leaves, bee pollen, apple, and some strawberries. I’ve only noticed some bite marks on the lettuce; however believe that as they are so small, their feeding is probably just hard to notice. I will probably offer some softer, thinner foods, such as flower petals or more fruit.

I keep them in an identical setup to the P. camellifolia, a well-ventilated 12 x 7 x 8in enclosure. I spray down their enclosure regularly and keep them at around 75F.

Another new addition to my native Orthoptera project, Neoxabea dipunctata, the two-spotted tree cricket. A common species of tree cricket found throughout the eastern US, from Texas to Maine. I collected a group of 3 1st or 2nd instar nymphs on 6/11/25, each measuring approximately 0.8 cm or 0.3 in long.

N. dipunctata, like other tree crickets, are omnivorous, feeding on plant matter, fungi, and small soft-bodied insects. I’ve offered them fruits (apple and strawberry) as well as some pre-killed Drosophila melanogaster; however, I have not seen any signs of feeding so far.

They rest at the top of the setup hanging upside-down during the day, being nocturnal. I have them set up in a 32 oz deli container with a mesh screen lid, 1in of coco fiber substrate, some crushed leaf litter, and bark and twigs for vertical surface area. I also keep a colony of springtails in the setup to prevent mold. I spray down their enclosure regularly and keep them at around 75F.

I’m not too sure how to properly keep these guys, and will appreciate any advice on proper tree cricket care.