I love this little guy

[Rory]

I came out to check on my Banksia yesterday and found this little guy eating the leaves (well, relatively little : 20cm long).

I didn't realize they ate foliage. But I just sat there admiring it while it chewed half a leaf.

It has lived on my Casuarina cunninghamiana for the last month and was perfectly camoflauged for the segmented growth. Sometimes you don't even realize its there. But unfortunately I had to cut back the trunk on it. So it has obviously moved onto my Banksia now.

I feel bad because I need to cut back the Banksia too, but I'm going to wait till the Casuarina thickens more so at least it will have another home to move onto.

Insect.jpg

[Max]

Stick insect

[shibui]

Stick insect

Yep. One of many species we have in Aus though most seem to live high in the canopy and are not often encountered. Stick insects are herbivores so definitely eating leaves of the trees they live in. Preying mantis is a carnivore - looks a little similar but has the strong front legs to catch prey.

Nice find Rory

[Steve B]

Looks like a Goliath stick insect, which at 20cm will still have some growing to do - particularly if it’s a female! Shouldn’t mind feasting on most of your native collection - particularly if you’ve got some eucalypts in need of some gentle defoliation....

[Rory]

Looks like a Goliath stick insect, which at 20cm will still have some growing to do - particularly if it’s a female! Shouldn’t mind feasting on most of your native collection - particularly if you’ve got some eucalypts in need of some gentle defoliation....

It’s become my “stick” buddy when I’m working on my trees.