Nymphs from our own breeding. The sex of the nymphs is arbitrary. If you want to breed with it, we recommend ordering a group of 10 nymphs.

Information

These Isopods come from Europe. They are still very young and growing very fast. We ship them between a few mm and 1.5 cm. They are then a few weeks old. Of course we give a guarantee that these special animals will arrive alive.

Appearance

These isopods are of a large size, they can grow up to 2.3 cm and are black and white spotted. The females have a cavity on the ventral side between the legs, males do not. The eggs and nymphs are carried in this cavity.

Behaviour

The Porcellio laevis "Dairy Cow" is a very active isopod, always on the move and looking for food. The females dig a hole in the sand where she and her nymphs have a safe place. They are herd animals and they like to sit together under a stone or a piece of cork.

Food

Iospods are real cleaners. They eat, among other things, dead wood, dead beech and oak leaf, fish food, cucumber and champion. Sepia should certainly not be missing because they have a high need for calcium, you can also offer this in powder form.

Environmental requirements

Isopods cannot run into glass, a glass container as housing is sufficient. Use coco peat as a soil mixed with humus, dead leaves (beech and oak), some pieces of rotted wood and bark. The Porcellio laevis "Dairy Cow" likes to be moist, so don't let your container dry out. Humidity: 50-60%

The best basis for starting to grow your own ant colony can be found in this starter set!

The biggest challenge of the hobby is in the beginning. How do you ensure that your queen with a few workers grows into a healthy large colony? The 'Ant Dock Station' in combination with the arena makes this a lot easier.

In addition to the great shelter and the robust character of the 'Ant Dock Station' you can now also offer your ants the right temperature. At the end of the Dock there is a recess where the 1 meter heating cable fits exactly (optional). By placing the heating cable correctly, you can provide the test tube with your ant colony with the right temperature. Now your ants will be nice and warm, even in the cold periods of the year! With the right temperature your colony will grow the fastest and that is what you want!

The Dock in which you place the test tube can be seen as the nesting area, which is normally underground. Warm from the sun, sheltered by the earth and ventilated for the ants. All of this is incorporated in the Dock. The Arena is the area above ground. In this outdoor living area that the ants can reach via the transport hose, the ants can collect their food (which you place there once a week) and take away their waste.

How cool is it to be able to follow the cooperation of the ants and the transport via the hose from very close by.

This starter set is suitable for all types of ants. Do you not have a colony yet? Then you can choose from different types including food above and order these at great offer prices. You can also order the heating cable and a furnishing of your arena above.

Contents of the set

- Ant Dock Station
- Town Square Arena (15x10x9cm)
- Ant-Blox test tube connector
- Sealing cap
- Connection hose
- Full-color instruction brochure with step-by-step guide

1 nymph of the Australian stick insect. The gender of the nymphs is not always visible.

General information

A few weeks old stick insects of the species Extatosoma tiaratum. This is also called the  Macleays Spectre Stick Insect. The species has also received the number psg 9.

The stick insect is native to Australia and New Guinea and is very popular because of its unusual shapes and size. They look more like a cactus than a branch. They have spines and striking bulges on the legs. They are often stained brown, and occasionally there are also green varieties of this type available. In the pictures above you can see how beautiful they are! 

What is striking is the large difference between males and females. The females are thick, prickly and 15 cm long. Males are just narrow with long wings, little spines and a length of about 12 to 13 cm.

Movement and behavior

This walking stick is a peaceful animal. Because most stick insects are nocturnal, they will not show much movement during the day. In the evening you can see they do move and eat.

Nutrition

This species eats several leaves like blackberry leaves, raspberry leaves, oak leaves, rose leaves, hazel and eucalyptus leaves. Blackberry leaves are easy found even in winter. Provide unsprayed food!

The nymphs are raised with us with blackberry leaf, so we recommend using these type of leaves for the nymph. You can also mix different leaves (but in any case blackberry) so they can get used to another type of blade.
 

Environmental conditions

The temperature may vary between 20 ° C and 30 ° C. Room temperature is fine for these animals.
The stick insect does not make high demands on the humidity, make sure you spray atleast 2-3 times per week, as they need water for survival. watch out for mold development. 
As with all kinds of walking sticks, the sticks require a stay of at least 3 times the length of the animal high, wide and at least 2 times the length of the animal. For an adult female this means an amount of at least 45 cm high and 30 cm wide.
 

Reproduction

Adult males are distinguishable because they are smaller, have wings and long antennae.
This species can reproduce sexually or parthenogenetic. You can keep the males and females together in a stay. The eggs are round brown balls.
The eggs hatch after about 4 to 6 months if a male has fertilized the female, parthenogenetic eggs hatch after six months to a year pass out. Keep the eggs on a damp paper. This should always be moist but not really wet. Most preferably, keep the eggs at a temperature of 25 ° C. Beware for mold!
 

Home-grown

The stick insects are bred by us and will only be sent by parcel post. Sex is not visible yet. Have fun observing these amazing animals!

Perfect for the insect enclosure. Artificial ivy made of plastic with a natural look. Virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.

Suitable as a decoration for any insect enclosure. This way your accommodation always has a natural, green appearance!

Also important: artificial plants provide continuous stable climbing options and shelter for your animals. 

Size: 30 to 50 cm

Complete decoration set for a terrarium or other stay. Contents of the set:

- Large artificial plant stump - 50cm long
- Sand loam combination - 400gr
- Ornamental stones - 200 gr

With this decoration set you give your new insect a safe environment (by many sheltered seating areas), in addition it gives a very natural look to your terrarium!

Be aware: this product is excluding a terrarium.

The nymph stage is between L3 and L7.

Information

Phyllocrania paradoxa is also called Ghost Mantis in English. She owes this name to her special shapes and alien-like head. The species can be recognized by a long asymmetrical shaped protuberance on the head, which serves to look more like a withered leaf. Phyllocrania paradoxa occurs naturally in Madagascar and Africa.

Appearance

This species of praying mantis mimics dry leaves so that it does not stand out among fallen leaves in the forest areas where it occurs. This way it can unexpectedly grab prey and still remain unseen by predators such as insect-eating birds. The most common color in this species is dark brown, but sometimes a green specimen can also be found. This color is determined by the environment; a moister, greener environment more often produces a green animal. P. paradoxa grows to about 5 cm in length, with little difference in size between the sexes. The males are narrower with slightly longer wings than the abdomen. The females are broader with a broader prothorax and with wings that extend to the abdomen.

Behaviour

Phyllocrania paradoxa is a quiet species of praying mantis. It is a typical sit-and-wait predator. Relying on her camouflage, she waits patiently for unsuspecting prey to pass by. As soon as she spots it, she strikes with lightning speed, and before the prey knows it, it is already firmly stuck between the catching arms of this predator. P. paradoxa will rarely actively pursue prey itself, but rather wait for an opportune moment to strike. Sometimes this kind of praying mantis is also a bit cautious and a bit afraid. Large tweezers or a large hand in the cage will cause prey to be rejected. Just wait fifteen minutes and try again, then everything will be fine again.

Food

In nature, Phyllocrania paradoxa mainly eat flying insects. So it would be good to offer them flies instead of crickets. However, crickets are also well eaten and are therefore excellent food for these animals. Just make sure that there are no stray crickets hanging around in the cage when the praying mantis is molting. An adult P. paradoxa can handle adult crickets, but it is better to give them smaller crickets, e.g. size 6 or 7. P. paradoxa are a bit intimidated by large tweezers with prey.

Environmental requirements

The ideal temperature is about 26°C, but can vary between 20°C and 30°C. At night it may be slightly cooler than during the day, but at least 18°C. This species needs relatively high humidity. About 60 to 90% humidity. This is achieved by spraying with water approximately 5 times a week. As with all praying mantis species, this species requires an enclosure that is at least 3x the animal's length high, and at least 2x the animal's length wide. For an adult animal this means at least 15 cm in height and 10 cm in width. A nice size for a terrarium would be 20 x 20 x 30, so that there is also room for fake plants and plenty of perches. Dry leaves color beautifully in this species, sometimes they completely blend in with the environment.

Group housing

The special thing about this species of praying mantis is that they can often be kept together their entire lives without cannibalism. The conditions for this are that the animals always have enough to eat and that the enclosure is sufficiently large. Many people successfully keep groups of P. paradoxa in a large terrarium. The chance of cannibalism is small, but it always remains with these types of predators.

The stage at which the spiders are sold is between L2 and L4. Be careful, they are still very small (a few millimetres in size) and they live on fruit flies.

Information

The Apalachicola jumping spiders are found in the Southeastern United States. These spiders are known for their agility and active behavior. They grow to about 2 to 2.5 cm, and can live up to 1.5 years. These spiders make a web, but they do not always use it to catch their prey, like other spiders. The Apalachicola hunts its prey, which is very fun to watch.

You know!
Apalachicola is a place in the American state of Florida, where the spider was probably discovered and named after this place.

Appearance

The color of the Apalachicola jumping spider is black and white, the amount of black and white can vary per spider. The female spider is often bright in color and has a lot less black on the thorax than the males. The males are mainly black with some white spots.

Behaviour

Jumping spiders are real hunters. When presented with a fly or cricket, she will quickly start hunting and catch her prey with a jump. They are active during the day, so they are often clearly visible. At night they sleep in a self-made cocoon or hide under a plant.

Food

Adult regius eat curl flies, house flies, crickets or other small insects. A cricket that is not eaten must be removed from the enclosure, as it can disturb or even kill the spider during its molt or sleep. Be alert to this. The young regius eats fruit flies, curl flies or micro crickets. The regius can handle prey as large as itself. They drink from the spray water, make sure it is fresh and not too cold.
We advise not to water too much, they like drought. A few drops that they can grab/get themselves are sufficient. And fruit flies are in principle the best source of nutrition.
 

Environmental requirements

A jumping spider's enclosure should be approximately 5x5x7cm with good ventilation. Ultimately, a 20x20x30 terrarium may be suitable for adult spiders. The humidity is between 40 and 70% with an ideal temperature of 26-28 degrees. It is important that the spider can drink something (drop) every few days, much more is not necessary.
You can heat it with a lamp, do not use a heating mat from the bottom (due to the risk of dehydration). Placing the enclosure in a bright place at room temperature is also possible, so they may be less active.

Group housing

Jumping spiders cannot be housed together due to cannibalism.

Application

This product is intended for structured storage of your test tubes in a sleekly designed tray. Your ants are immediately well sheltered and it simplifies care. A perfect accessory for the "real" ant farmer.

Use

The product is suitable for a maximum of 5 test tubes. Test tubes M and L are suitable for this product.
 

Magnification

Exactly what you would expect from a magnifying glass. The magnification depends on the viewing angle, you can enlarge up to 6 times, then the image will be less sharp (greater viewing distance). You can achieve nice sharpness at 2 to 4 times magnification.

This magnifying glass is particularly suitable due to its large diameter of no less than 7.5 centimeters. This means you don't have to hold the magnifying glass very close to your eye. This allows you to view a sharp enlargement from a nice distance. Very practical to use!

Take a close look at the hairs of an ant, the thin legs of a stick insect, and the claws of a praying mantis.

Nature is now becoming even more beautiful. You can of course also use the magnifying glass to conduct research in nature and take a closer look at everything in the garden or in the forest.

Specifications

Color: black + transparent
Magnification: 2-4 times
Lens diameter: 7.5 cm

Application

This product is intended for structured storage of your test tubes in a sleekly designed tray. Your ants are immediately well sheltered and it simplifies care. A perfect accessory for the "real" ant farmer.

Use

The product is suitable for a maximum of 5 test tubes. Test tubes M and L are suitable for this product.
 

This metal wire mesh is a very finely woven mesh of stainless steel. This mesh is intended to prevent even the smallest insects from escaping your habitat.

Specifications

Wiregauge: 0.16 mm
meshsize: 0.26 bij 0.26 mm
size: 50x50cm

Cylinder Trio including Acromyrmex octospinosus colony

Contents:
After years of testing, we succeeded. With this beautiful cylinder set you can successfully care for a leafcutter ant colony and guide it in their development. We dare to finally offer this set as the ultimate product for holding leaf cutters. The parasol ants are amazing to watch and keep as a hobbyist.

Sizes:
The set consists of three cylinders with a diameter of 20 and a height of 30 cm. Ideal for the vertical position in which leaf cutters build their mold.
The set can be expanded with cylinders of the same size, but we also have them available in larger sizes: 25 x 40 and even 40 cm diameter and 60 cm high.

Service to the max:
For us, the leaf cutter ants are the pinnacle of ant keeping. We like to keep in touch with all owners of leaf cutter colonies that come from us. To stay informed and also help where we can. The WhatsApp chat function on our website is particularly suitable for this (in connection with sharing photos and the like). So if you buy this set with a colony from us, we would like to stay in personal contact.


Parts:
3x Cylinder TRIO - Leaf cutter ants setup 20 diameter x 30 cm high
3x Cylinder lid edge
3x Cylinder ventilated lid inner part
2x White closing cap or tube with transparant cap (to neatly seal openings 32 mm).
1x Plaster base moisture nest part
1x Heat source nest part - heating cable
2 x acrylic tube 32 mm diameter
1x Substrate - sandy loam - 500 grams, bottom foraging and waste
3x Set of furniture feet (raiser for heat source)
1x Mini thermo hygrometer that can be digitally clamped to the wall
1x tweezers 
1x Ant anti outbreak kit
1x Sprayer 0.5 liter 
1x Bottle 250 ml


Description:
This extremely extensive complete set is suitable for all leaf cutter ant species. In addition to the optimally adapted formicarium, the set also contains the appropriate accessories for keeping these ants. The cylinders enable comfortable handling during stocking and cleaning. The large holes (32 mm) and tubes not only allow the ants to be observed well, but the animals can also transport large pieces of leaves. The stainless steel grid inserts ensure good ventilation and are robust against mechanical shock. Even large colonies of leafcutter ants, which are very fond of cutting, cannot penetrate. The sturdy tube connections also absolutely withstand the force of these ants' jaws! ;-)

Important:
The part with plaster at the bottom is intended for placing the mold. We will explain how you can manage the care and development of the ants from here in a personal conversation when you pick up the set from us and choose the leaf cutter ant colony.

The thermo- and hygrometer in the system provides you with the most important guidance for proper care (temperature around 26 degrees and humidity between 90 and 100%.

Application

This product is intended for structured storage of your test tubes in a sleekly designed tray. Your ants are immediately well sheltered and it simplifies care. A perfect accessory for the "real" ant farmer.

Use

The product is suitable for a maximum of 5 test tubes. Test tubes M and L are suitable for this product.