[3] Large parts of Taiwan are named as the range of the species, where it occurs at altitudes below 1,000 metres (3,300 ft).

The newly hatched nymphs only begin to eat after about two weeks and take up to 15 months until they are adult.

'Tây Yên Tử' Orestes japonicus 'Okinawa' Orestes dittmari George Ho Wai-Chun and Paul D. Brock described the species under the basionym Pylaemenes shirakii based on one by Ho on October 2, 2009 in Taipei found adult female.

[5] The first and so far only parthenogenetic breeding stock in terrariums goes back to eggs that Bruno Kneubühler received from northern Taiwan in 2009 and whose offspring he distributed in 2010 as Pylaemenes guangxiensis 'Taiwan'.

[4][11][12] Orestes shirakii prefers a higher humidity, which can be achieved by a layer of soil covered with moist moss.

Leaves of bramble or other Rosaceae are eaten, as well as cherry laurel, Gaultheria shallon (salal), hazel, oak, beech or Epipremnum species and other Araceae.