Oreophoetes peruana, also known as the Peruvian Fern Stick Insect, is a vividly colored phasmid native to the cloud forests of Peru. Feeding exclusively on ferns, this species boasts striking yellow-black nymphs that mature into red-hued males and variably colored females. Despite being wingless, they’re active during the day and defend themselves with a smelly white secretion containing quinoline—a rare natural chemical. Sensitive to heat, they thrive in cool, humid enclosures and are relatively easy to breed if ferns are available year-round.
Peruvian Fern Stick Insects (Oreophoetes peruana)
Specifications
Size: Small to Medium Nymphs
Status: Captive Bred
Range: Peru and Ecuador
Care information
Temperature
16-24 C
Humidity
80 %
Diet
Forest Ferns, Bracken
Enclosure
Three times the length of the insect in height
Twice the length in width

