# Are stick insect eggs going bad?



## worzelwitch (Jul 25, 2014)

Hi, can anyone tell me if there is a way of knowing if stick insect ova have 'gone off' or near to hatching? Ive bought some macleays spectre eggs and have noticed that the nobble on one end is going darker on some of them. I know this is a fat reserve but dont know if its supposed to gradually disappear and then they hatch. I'm worried that they dried out in the post too much (I was sent them 2nd class from ebay and still hadnt arrived a week later, the ebayer kindly sent out more immediately and i recieved some 4 days later but 2 of the eggs had hatched out and died, only legs of one of them remained, and i'm wondering if these are infact the 1st lot she sent out, i haven't recieved a 2nd lot though) I wish I'd asked can i pay more to be sent them 1st class because royal mail are very laxi-daisy with 2nd class (I realise that now  ) I'll be so disappointed if they dont hatch, I'd paid extra too because theyre supposed to be lichen coloured :/ Any words of comfort anyone or am i best to face up to the worst?


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## Madseyden (Sep 17, 2008)

It is possible that they might be a little dry but don't worry. As long as you have kept them in a tub with some holes and kitchen towel and some damp cotton wool. I've bought quite a few types off eBay. Was told they would take a few weeks to hatch and took a couple of months. Just be patient. As long as you spray the cotton wool once a day and not them directly. I've been after some silver macleays for ages. Good luck!


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## worzelwitch (Jul 25, 2014)

*Living in hope.*

Thankyou Madseyden. I have been keeping them on some moist jungle soil which i find stays mould free and keeps its moisture more readily. You have made me a little more hopeful  I have kept Indian stickies for a while but just leave the eggs to it in the soil where theyre laid to be honest so haven't noticed which hatch when. This is the first time ive bought any on the internet. Thanks again, I'll just be patient


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## Darkrai283 (Jan 9, 2014)

worzelwitch said:


> Hi, can anyone tell me if there is a way of knowing if stick insect ova have 'gone off' or near to hatching? Ive bought some macleays spectre eggs and have noticed that the nobble on one end is going darker on some of them. I know this is a fat reserve but dont know if its supposed to gradually disappear and then they hatch.


I use the 'float-or-sink' test with my Phasmid ova to find out which ones are infertile/duds. I cannot find the forum where I read this on but from what I understood, all/most phasmid ova are porous and they let moisture in and out. In most species, if the ovum is infertile or is kept too dry, the embryo dries up inside and some of the space is replaced by air which makes them float. The same thing goes for ova kept too wet for a long period of time as well. The embryo inside dies and rots and this causes the ova to float.

However, this 'test' cannot be used for some species such as E. nolimetangere because the hairs on the surface on the ova traps air and all eggs float, infertile/dead or not.

Plus, the capitulum on the top of the operculum is not a 'fat reserve' for the developing embryo inside. If it were a fat reserve, how would most species of Phasmids survive? Not all species have a capitulum on their ova. 
What's been suggested is that it acts as a food source for ants (I cannot confirm this) which makes them drag the ova down into their nest where the ova will be safe from predators.


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## worzelwitch (Jul 25, 2014)

*Capitulum*

Thankyou Darkrai, I'd read about Macleays ova being in ants nests and that the nymphs look like ants but thought it just related to that species as my Indians dont look like ants when they hatch. I thought the capitulum might be the equivalent of a yolk in a way. The wonders of nature eh?


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