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What is it's natural habitat? These particular stick insects are found in trees or in a host plant.
To recreate their natural environment in the enclosure we have had to make sure the humidity, light penetration, eucalyptus leaves and conditions are apt for our insects.
LOCATION IN AUSTRALIA
LOCATION IN AUSTRALIA
Purple winged stick insects are mostly found in Queensland - specifically Brisbane and South Eastern Australia.
Labelled Diagram of the Purple Winged Stick Insect
LIFESPAN
LIFESPAN
A spur-legged insect has a lifespan of about 2 years in their natural habitat, hatching large population in their first year and smaller in the next year. Adult females lay their eggs during late summer to late autumn. The eggs hatch within 18-20 months later. A nymph takes 4 months to mature into an adult and another 2 months to develop the adult stage. The young insects then go through 5 growth stages known as instars. Nymphs moult multiple times, ranging between weeks and months.
DIET
DIET
Stick insects eat eucalyptus leaves, enjoying leaves from the Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash species of gum trees. They are herbivores and few species of its genus even eat grass. Children prefer younger softer leaves at the top of the branch, whereas adults do not mind old or young leaves. As the insects grow it will require more food.
Food Web
Food Web
Sesame Seed Sized Eggs!
REPRODUCTION
REPRODUCTION
Eggs
Eggs
- Our eggs were described by the supplier to look like sesame seeds! Quite big sesame seeds if you ask me… but nonetheless, they are small enough to almost blend in with their feces, enough so that we almost threw them out oops!
- Female stick insects can asexually reproduce however this results in only a female being born, hence they do mate with males occasionally to ensure that both males and females are born as well as diversity in genetics.
- FACT: If a male stick insect finds a female before breeding season, sometimes they latch onto their backs until that time, to ensure they do not lose the female.
Do you know why our stick insects have bright violet wings? Our species of stick insects use their wings, well not only to fly, but also use them to annoy and create vibrations towards predators and attackers!
Water → We spray our leaves regularly so that our stick insects can drink, not only that but when water is present in the enclosure environment, a light humid atmosphere is formed, to mimic the high forest tree atmosphere!
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