Another predatory katydid, Panacanthus cuspidatus -

From my part of the world, Neobarrettia spinosa, a quite large carnivorous katydid found in desert scrubland -

Cosmoderus femoralis (Cameroon) -



and a huge Pseudophyllus from Borneo -

boghaunter1 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:52 pm ...I first became aware of S. grandis when I bought a 1969 book, long ago in my youth, entitled "The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Insects" by V.J. Stanek. On pg. 52 - photo #71, is an old B. & W. photo of S. grandis resting on an outstretched hand. I was completely amazed by that old photo & that image has stuck in my brain for 50+ yrs!...

That insect book by Dr. Václav Jan Staněk (1907–1983) was enormously influential on me in my youth as well, and it was from it that I too, first heard of S. grandis (which at the time of the book's publication, was called Phyllophora grandis), and was stunned by the photo. I still have the book, some 40 years after acquiring it, and it's quite treasured! Actually, Staněk's publications in general were an inspiration to me, and I have around half a dozen or more of them, most of which have now become quite obscure to all apart from a few enthusiasts with an interest in vintage natural history books. By age 30, Staněk was assistant to the National Museum (Prague), and not long after, he became director of the Prague Zoo -

https://cs-m-wikipedia-org.translate.go ... r_pto=wapp

https://www.librarything.com/author/stanekvj

Paul K wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 9:37 pm Cerania bosci.
This is quite common species in Thailand.
The males resemble a drone, they fly slowly with the legs wide stretched in all direction. Easy to net it in flight however yes the legs are quite fragile and easy to brake off.

In season I see these flying slowly around my garden. They look really rather strange moving forwards rather slowly, almost hovering, unless they are disturbed when they can move faster.

Adam.

boghaunter1 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:30 pm Very cool (& fragile looking!) spider mimic Cerambycids pr. from Thailand


Cerambycid Beetle. Spider mimics pr, Thailand.jpg





John K.

Cerania bosci.
This is quite common species in Thailand.
The males resemble a drone, they fly slowly with the legs wide stretched in all direction. Easy to net it in flight however yes the legs are quite fragile and easy to brake off.

This might be a model: Nephila maculata
It is very common species of orb spiders, quite large as palm of the hand. It is not surprising to walk in once web hiking along the forest path.

The photo is from the web and it is for educational purpose only

I had no idea S. grandis is now being reared. I haven’t seen any whatsoever on the dealers’ lists. Evidently they are only being kept as “pets” at this time? I do wonder if these reared specimens attain the same size as the “wild” ones.

Would be nice to see some high quality dried specimens for sale!

Hello Rumina,
I have had a 26 years long friendship with an insect dealer here. He has purchased numerous collections over these years that became available (for various reasons).
Back 2004 he purchased 20 European storeboxes brimming with all of John Tenants Morocco material (which he wrote a book about) as well as much of his European material (all butterflies).The European material came from just about all over; except (strangely)not Britain.

I do not know the circumstances of how he came into the collection but, (he did) and I spent the next (year and a half) purchasing specimens from it since I had no European or Moroccan material whatsoever !

It was all top notch material with full data. Who could resist ? Funny thing is I believe I'm just about the only one who wanted any of it ! My dealer friend told me that everyone here wanted exotics and that no one cared about the Tenant material.

I wound up purchasing 4 (1/2) insect drawers full of butterflies in a year and a half. After that he was not able to sell off any and eventually did find a buyer who would eventually take on the remainder. What became of them after that I do not know.

I can look to see if I have additional butterflies from Spain from his collection to show or I can just show you 4 of the drawers of material that I was able to acquire. His name is attached to every data label.

Let me know if any drawer pictures interest you.

Nice to know someone is intrigued in these....

adamcotton wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 6:52 pm Here's a photo of a female caught just a few km west of the male above:

The female mimics Byasa polyeuctes.

Adam.

Fantastic to see that female Adam. Thanks for sharing.

I'm intrigued how you got hold of John Tennant's specimens when you live in the U.S.A. Rumina.

Panacanthus wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 5:34 pm

livingplanet3 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 23, 2023 5:25 pm The giant helmeted katydid (Siliquofera grandis), one of the largest orthopterans in the world -

These used to be so readily available. Not anymore! Wish I had bought more when they were so common and relatively cheap!

It seems as though this species should actually be more commonly available than ever before, since it is now being bred in captivity quite successfully. But, I suppose there is some difference between hobbyists breeding them as "pets", vs. those collected to supply the specimen market.

https://smallexoticfarm.ie/product/hood ... a-grandis/