What is a stick insect?
A stick insect is an insect whose long, thin body looks like a twig or leaf, helping it hide from predators. Australia has around 150 species, including some of the world's largest.
Stick insects feed on leaves, mostly at night, and stay still during the day. Many sway gently like a twig in the breeze. Some species, such as leaf insects, look like green leaves complete with veins.
The giant prickly stick insect, or Macleay's spectre, is a popular pet. Females can reach about 15 centimetres and curl their abdomen like a scorpion when disturbed.
Lord Howe Island stick insect
The Lord Howe Island stick insect was thought extinct after rats arrived on the island in 1918. In 2001, a tiny population was found on Ball's Pyramid. Melbourne Zoo now breeds thousands.
Female stick insects can often produce eggs without mating.
Their eggs often look like seeds, and some have a fatty cap that attracts ants. Stick insects are popular in classrooms and as pets because they are easy to care for and fascinating to watch. Australia's eastern forests and tropical rainforests host spectacular species, such as the Children's stick insect and the peppermint stick insect of north Queensland.
Did You Know?
Some stick insect eggs are collected by ants, which carry them into their nests, where the eggs are protected.