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The Wild Pest
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Stick & Leaf Insects

The masters of mimicry — bugs that vanish in plain sight.

7 on file

On File
A giant stick insect (Phryganistria chinensis) clinging to a twig, body indistinguishable from the branch.
Curious
Six Legs74
Alias
Phryganistria chinensis

Chinese Giant Stick Insect

Longest insect on Earth — 64 cm. Looks like a twig. Some species haven't needed males in centuries.

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On File
A walking leaf (Phyllium philippinicum) on green foliage, body shape and coloration indistinguishable from surrounding leaves.
Curious
Six Legs77
Alias
Phyllium philippinicum

Walking Leaf

Looks exactly like a leaf — veins, bite marks, fungal spots, the gentle sway in the wind, all of it.

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On File
A Lord Howe Island stick insect (Dryococelus australis), large glossy black phasmid with curved abdomen, on a leaf.
Curious
Six Legs85
Alias
Dryococelus australis

Lord Howe Island Stick Insect

Declared extinct in 1920. Found on a sea-cliff in 2001. Now back from the brink.

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On File
An Indian stick insect (Carausius morosus), slender brown-to-green walking stick with small body size and reduced wings, six legs, side profile.
Curious
Six Legs79
Alias
Carausius morosus

Indian Stick Insect

WORLD'S MOST COMMON PET STICK INSECT. Obligate PARTHENOGENESIS — captive populations are essentially all female.

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On File
A Macleay's spectre stick insect (Extatosoma tiaratum), large heavily-armored stick insect with elaborate spiny leaf-like projections along the body and legs, six legs, side profile.
Curious
Six Legs85
Alias
Extatosoma tiaratum

Macleay's Spectre

Australian giant spiny stick insect. Four defensive behaviors. Popular giant pet stick insect worldwide.

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On File
A two-striped walking stick (Anisomorpha buprestoides), short stout dark brown walking stick with three pale longitudinal stripes, six legs, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs83
Alias
Anisomorpha buprestoides

Two-Striped Walking Stick

SPRAYS toxic chemical defense up to 40 cm — intensely irritating to vertebrate eyes. 'Devil rider' walking stick.

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On File
A northern walkingstick (Diapheromera femorata), slender wingless brown-to-green walking stick with very long thin legs at twig-like angles, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs76
Alias
Diapheromera femorata

Northern Walkingstick

Most widespread NA walking stick. Looks indistinguishable from a small twig.

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