New Margattea & Rhabdoblatta!

Martin's Spring Gift Series Pt. 4/4

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Now, we shall finish off this series by discussing the last two new species I got last month from Martin. 😁

Let's start off with Margattea nimbata, known in China as the "Raindrop Roach". This little Ectobiid is a neat new addition to culture, and reminds me of our native Cariblatta spp. in morphology and general patterning. While the wings of the adults do extend down to the tips of their abdomen, they are still relatively short for an Ectobiid, however I think they can still fly with no issue. 😅 Not THE most skittish Ectobiids I've worked with, but not the calmest either.

I've got my dozen or so individuals set up in a well ventilated deli cup with a thin layer of coco fiber as the substrate, which I'm keeping humid. For hides I'm using bark, leaf litter and cardboard, and I'm keeping them at around 75F°. I'm feeding them dog food and fruits.

So far they've been doing great, the few ooths that came with them hatched, and the adult females have been pumping new ooths out nonstop. The few subadults that came in the original group have started maturing too, so I'm well on my way to having a fully established culture. 😁

Here are some pics of them:

Large nymph

Adult female

Hopefully I can establish this species in US culture easily, fingers crossed! 🤞

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Now, onto a flashier species... or at least they will be when mature. 😁 Introducing Rhabdoblatta parvula "YinJiang, Guangdong, China", the second Rhabdoblatta species to enter US culture in recent years in breedable numbers! 😄 From the few images I've seen, the adults of this species appear to be sexually dimorphic, with males being mostly black, and females reddish brown, sometimes with some black coloration as well. Quite a pretty species, and an amazing new addition to culture! 😍

I've got my 9 small nymphs housed in a moderately ventilated 2 gallon bin with a thin layer of coconut fiber as the substrate, which I'm keeping quite humid. I've given them bark, paper towel rolls and leaf litter for hides, and am keeping them at around 75F°. For food I'm offering dog food and fruits.

Here are some pics of them:

Really hoping these will do well for me, I can't wait to see adults of this species in person, and hopefully establish them in US culture! 😁

Well, that's gonna do it for this series, thanks again to Martin for this awesome package, and check out his blog The Wild Martin for more information and updates on his amazing collection of ants and roaches! 😄

Anyways, thanks for reading, hope everyone enjoyed, stay safe, and I'll see y'all next time! 😉