Childrens Stick Insect

Using a special muscle to break it off at a weak joint the imperiled insect simply sheds the leg in a defensive strategy is known as autotomy.

Childrens stick insect.

Should a bird or other predator grab hold of its leg a stick insect can still make an easy escape. There are approximately 3 000 different species of stick insects. They are found in all continents except antarctica. Stick insects are also known as stick bug phasmid leaf insect bug insect and walking stick etc.

Like the spiny leaf insect this species has a high degree of sexual dimorphism which is the difference in size and shape between males and females. The females are usually a beautiful apple green colour but can also be cream or very light pink or purple. The children s stick insect or yellow winged spectre is found throughout the eastern coast of queensland new south wales and victoria their bodies grow up to around 14cm in length and both the males and females have two pairs of wings. In this species the females look like leaves and males look like sticks.

Identification children s stick insect is a medium sized stick insect. One had the board body and legs were flatten plates with saw toothed edge. Stick insects can regenerate limbs. They generally mimic their surroundings in color usually green brown grey etc.

Females are larger and bulkier than males and usually green but can also be pinkish or cream. This insect belongs to a genus group called pharnacia all stick insects in this group have extremely thin bodies. Female pharnacia like the one shown here are wingless and can hold their legs close to their body to make themselves look even more like a twig. Camouflage is one of the primary protection techniques used by children s stick insects as they often have the appearance of leaves.

Found a pair of children s stick insect nymphs early summer 2007 when we were searching for leaf beetle larvae on gum leaves in karawatha forest we found two children s stick insect nymphs on the top a small about 2 meters tall stringy bark gum tree. Males are slender and light reddish brown.