Pallid Sun Roaches, Hemithyrsocera palliata!

Magnificent Beasts Package Series Pt. 4/6

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The Pallid sun roach, Hemithyrsocera palliata, is is one of two Hemithyrsocera species commonly kept in culture, the other being vittata, and now I own both! 😃 This species is rather easy to breed, prolific as all heck, and will make great feeders for the mantids I wish to get from Brandon next year, hence why I've started a culture. Like vittata, they are diurnal, very active and hyper, all life stages can climb and the fully winged adults can fly. The color and patterning of the nymphs changes with seemingly every molt, and adults are almost handsome black-brown with with yellow margins/patterning.

I've got my group in a tall gallon container, much like my vittata enclosure, with a hole drilled into the enclosure and filled with sponge for maintenance, as they'll group around the lid most likely as the colony grows. They've got a substrate of coconut fiber mixed with crush rotten wood and leaf mulch, and they have bark and leaf litter for hides. Keeping them humid, and warm, 75F° or warmer for optimal breeding. I'll feed them chick feed, artificial pollen, and fruits. 

For the first time ever, I'm trying to incorporate live plants into a roach enclosure, as I've got two Pothos cuttings I made and rooted, but nowhere to put them. So I've placed them in this container, which will get decent light, and has a fairly organically rich substrate, (this is why I added rotten wood and leaf mulch to the mix, the roaches themselves have little use for either). I think the roaches will enjoy climbing on them, probably won't eat them, and it should make the enclosure look pretty nice! 😄 The cuttings are from Pothos plants I've had for over 8 years now, so no pesticide/herbicide risks or anything BTW. 

Here are some pictures of the speedy little things, very very difficult to get any decent pictures of them!

Large nymph

Adult male

A pretty little species, which will hopefully work well as feeders for me! 😁 Will likely end up using a combo of these and my vittata for feeders in the future, but I'll obviously first prioritize the spreading around of vittata in US culture, with these palliata I have no such obligations, as they're rather well established here already. 

Well, that's gonna do it for today, thanks for reading, hope everyone enjoyed, stay safe, and I'll see you all in the next post! 😉