Epilamprinae sp. "Kota Kinabalu" (Borneo Leaf Mimic Roach)

Previously labeled as Epilamprinae sp. "Borneo", we now have a more specific locality for them: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

Housing:

A gallon container is good for a starter colony, as they start breeding though a 5 gallon bin would make for a good permanent setup. This species enjoys high humidity, and only needs a moderate amount of ventilation. A thin layer of coconut fiber, sphagnum peat, potting soil, etc. works well for the substrate. Many hides in the form of leaf litter, bark, cardboard tubes, eggcrate, etc. should be provided, the more surface area the better.

Adults can climb and fly, so a tight fitting lid and climbing barrier is recommended. Nymphs can't climb smooth surfaces ordinarily, but like many Epilamprinae can "swim" up the water droplets on the side of their enclosure when misted, so be aware of this when doing maintenance on them.


Diet:

A staple diet of dog/cat/fish/chick food along with fruits and veggies works well for this species. They're pretty protein hungry but adults in particular really like fruits too.


Temperature:

Temps in the 75-85F° range are recommended for the fastest breeding/growth rates, though they'll still breed and grow slower but steadily in the 70-74F° range as well.


Breeding/Life Cycle:

Adults seem to live live 6-8 months under optimal conditions, and nymphs only take 4-6 months to mature. Females gestate their broods for 2-3 months, and give litters to 30+ offspring at a time. They can be quite prolific and have some feeder potential.

Colonies of this species are very hardy compared to other Epilamprinae and don't seem to mind filth buildups nearly as much as other members of this subfamily do, (though you should probably remove and replace the top layer of substrate once a year or so to keep things fresh). Most common pests aren't a huge problem for this species, and they're protein hungry enough to eat their own dead consistently, so Phorid flies aren't typically an issue.