FAQ Page

Frequently Asked Questions.

• How did you build your enclosure?

We have included a series of diagrams to illustrate how we created our enclosure - you can check it out on our Enclosure Page.

• What do you think will happen to your insects later? isn't this just a project?

Based on information that we have collected, there are two or more ways our insects can go in the future. We hope to see that their instinctive nature takes the lead and if they are to be released back they should be able to adapt and cope back with the natural environment.

However, we also have considered the possibility of the fact that since we, humans, have been taking care of them, they might be relying too much on us as their food source and for regulating their environment to more ideal conditions. Hence there is a slim chance they may not be able to maintain themselves if let out back into their natural environment. As you can see from our earlier blog , we lost some insects when the environment changed and we didn't do enough to cope with it.

Based on the information we have thoroughly researched however, the stick insects should be able to make adaptations in order to fit their surrounding environment if it is not a drastic change. As long as the biotic and abiotic factors do not have a rapid change of some form, the insects should truly be able to live the best of their two years.

• Do you have any predictions regarding their evolution?

Well, depending on their environment outside of the enclosure there is basically unlimited opportunity for the insects to evolve. There are four types of evolution: divergent evolution, convergent evolution, gradualism and punctured equilibrium. Based on our research regarding their relation to the environment they stay in, most likely they will face divergent evolution, gradualism and the punctured equilibrium aspects of evolution. We theorize that perhaps their body structure might flatten and widen in order to mimic the shapes of leaves in their given environment more. While doing the in-depth study, although we found it somewhat difficult to combat their camouflage, it wasn't exactly the hardest thing in the world.

• Why are their eggs like what you call 'sesame seeds'?

We think that their eggs are shaped like sesame seeds because not only are they small in size, they also take similar form to other insect eggs. We believe that in some cases, their eggs could be accidentally protected by other species. It was also difficult to find the eggs as first, since we had butcher's paper underneath, the colors were quite similar. The color could also be related to a pre-birth defensive mechanism in which they are protected by the surrounding foliage.