Mexican Bush Katydid Adults #3 and #4

On the same day, two more of our Mexican Bush Katydids (Scudderia mexicana) have finally eclosed into the third and fourth adults of this year. Our breeding set up is almost ready. . .

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As a recap, our first adult Mexican Bush Katydid (Scudderia mexicana), the only male of our four adults, was an early-bird and molted to adult all the way back on 6/20. Then, just three days ago on 7/8, our second adult molted into an adult. With both a male and a female, breeding them is just around the corner -- all we have to do is create a proper enclosure for them to mate in captivity and something for them to lay eggs on. 

Today, the last of our sixth instar females molted into adults, making a total of four adults (three females, one male). We had a feeling that they were close in age (though they are certainly not siblings since they were captured at completely different locations, miles apart), but this was certainly a surprise that they molted together! Now our male has his work cut out for him until our newly molted sixth instar males molt into adult in another couple of weeks.

Anyway, as stated before, we have started planning a set up for the ovipositing enclosure. In the past we have had success with getting them to mate in captivity using a glass aquarium tank with some mud and live plants in it outdoors. This time, we have been keeping them in plastic containers indoors without a live plant, but we have just cleared out our tank of chrysalises and will be using it soon. We will most likely put it outside again to better mimic their natural environment and put some plants in, though it is impossible to tell what kind of plant they would prefer to lay their eggs on. We will just have to try it and see. Some sources suggest depriving the female of egg laying sites for a few days in order to stimulate egg laying, so if it doesn't work we will definitely try this method. 

- Brian