A Standardized Protocol for Rearing Carausius morosus (Phasmatodea, Insecta) in Laboratory Settings

Carausius morosus, the Indian stick insect, is a slender twig-like insect endemic to India. Though widely introduced through captivity around the world and commonly used in laboratories or kept as a household pet, standardized animal husbandry laboratory protocols are lacking. Here we report detailed laboratory culture conditions for C. morosus. We maintain stocks at 23 °C, 70% relative humidity, and a 12:12 h light-dark photoperiod. This culture has been successfully sustained under these conditions for over two years, with standardized protocols in place for dietary and cage setup conditions. We also report methods for egg and hatchling care to support ongoing experiments with C. morosus. Under our culture conditions, 105 monitored batches of eggs laid in the same 24 hour period hatched within a consistent 12-day period, and 13.9% of hatchlings successfully reached adulthood. These standardized methods improve reproducibility and accessibility, enabling the broader use of C. morosus as a laboratory model system for a wide range of studies, including analyses of development, behavior, and physiology.