Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Panchlora sp. "Costa Rica Yellow"

I suppose this caresheet also applies to the green Panchlora sp. "Costa Rica", as they are just the wild type of the same species. I've just only ever kept the yellow morph.
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Housing:

A 1-2 gallon container should be the enclosure you house your starter colony in, then as they reproduce more you can upgrade the enclosure to a larger bin. This species appreciates a moderate to high amount of ventilation, and the lid of the enclosure should be rather tight fitting, as the adults are adept climbers and fliers, especially the males.

They should be provided with at least 2-3 inches of substrate in the form of coconut fiber, peat moss, potting soil, etc. Adding rotten leaf litter and decaying hardwood to the substrate gives the nymphs a little something to nibble on, and may even improve growth and survival rates a bit, but is not absolutely neccesary. The enclosure should be kept rather humid.

Hides in the form of vertically slanted bark slabs or "roach-huts" made of plywood or corkboard should be offered for the adults, and the nymphs will greatly enjoy clumping around the bottom, buried layers of said hides, as will adult females.


Diet:

Fresh fruits and veggies, along with dog/cat/chick feed seem to work great as a staple diet, as usual for Panchlora, fruits are their favorite. Nymphs will nibble on dead leaves and decaying hardwood, but they don't seem to be absolutely neccesary in their diet.


Temperature:

Temperatures in the 72-85F° range work well for breeding, but they'll obviously breed better and faster in the higher end of those temps.


Breeding/Life cycle:

Adult males live 1-3 months, while females usually live around 6-7 months. Females give birth every 2-3 months to around two dozen tiny nymphs, which then take another 4-5 months to mature under optimal conditions. This species really isn't that picky, however, lapses in care can wipe out a colony.

The fact that the nymphs grow so fast, coupled with the relatively large litter sizes and reproductive speed of the females makes this species suitable for use as a feeder, albeit a neglect-intolerant one. It's definitely a beautiful species, and both color morphs are worthy of a spot in any Blatticulturist's collection!

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