New Guinea Walking Stick
Not Evaluated
Rainforest
Papua New Guinea
Nocturnal
Herbivorous
Children’s Zoo
Characteristics
New Guinea walking sticks are a bigger and bulkier type of stick insect, appearing more similar to that of a branch rather than a small twig or stick. In order to resemble that of bark or rotten wood, these stick insects are a light brown to black in color. They are wingless and are armored with spines on their body and legs. Females are larger than males, reaching lengths up to 14 cm long. Males only reach up to 10 cm.
Habitat & Ecology
New Guinea walking sticks are native to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia. They reside in warm and humid rainforests, where they are found in foliage and ground litter.
Diet
New Guinea walking sticks are herbivores. They feed on a variety of leaves including eucalyptus, ficus, bramble, raspberry, rose, cherry laurel, and guava.
Behavior & Reproduction
New Guinea walking sticks are nocturnal. During their waking hours at night, they will migrate foraging grounds to form groups of individuals to rest during the day. They congregate in clusters, hiding in hollows of logs and trees. This allows them better protection from predators. Their coloration also aids in their protection, as they can often go unseen from predators.
New Guinea walking sticks generally reproduce sexually, but when no males are present in a population females exhibit parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction. Females will lay eggs that don't hatch until half a year later.
1-2 years
Year-round
Over 100
Yearly
Conservation
New Guinea walking sticks have not been evaluated by the IUCN.
Fascinating Facts
- New Guinea walking sticks go by many other names including thorny devil stick and giant spiny stick insect.
- Walking sticks are a favorite food of many animals, but perhaps their most effective predators are bats. Most bats hunt by echolocation rather than sight, so they aren’t fooled by the insect’s sticklike appearance.
