Macleay’s Spectre Extatosoma tiaratum would have to be one of the most spectacular insects in the Daintree rainforest. Males readily fly in search of mates, but much larger females are incapable of flight. First instar nymphs resemble ants.
Phasmids are well represented in the Wet Tropics with some of the largest insects in the world. The Titan Stick Insect Acrophylla titan blends very well into the forest with its stick-like appearance and can attain a length of 250 mm.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD has worked in industry and government. She is currently researching a novel technique for long-range weather forecasting funded by the B. Macfie Family Foundation.
Thanks for putting the phasmids in the spotlight Neil. I have bred 8 different species of sticks for a number of years now and was recently given the opportunity to include Lord Howe Island sticks in my care. Of some 150 known species in Australia, many remain with no common name and very little known about them. If you are not a vertebrate benefit or pest in this country there appears little incentive to study them, which is pretty pathetic.
The Macleay’s (also known as spiny leaf insects) have rounded eggs often collected by ants (as they resemble seeds) and stored underground, and as you point out, the nymphs are very ant-like in appearance and locomotion when they hatch. Many species are parthenogenic.
i cannot find the stupid bug, im not even convinced there is one there. You should have gone to specksavers!
my boy is not moving at all and im not sure if hes dead. i only had him for 2 months. wat shall i do
when do females start laying eggs