Thorny Devil Stick Insect

Distribution: New Caledonia, New Guinea and Solomon Islands

Size Length: Males: around 12cms; Females: around 15cms

Lifespan: 12 to 18 months

Diet: Herbivorous

Social life: groups

IUCN red list status: Not evaluated



Thorny-devil-stick-insect (Eurycanthacalcarata) habitat forested areas with lots of foliage on the ground, typically they prefer areas with high humidity and warm temperatures.

As adults they are semi-terrestrial animals that have coloration and pattern resembling wood, leaves or bark in order to hide themselves of potential predators. Neither of the sexes have wings but the female is slightly larger than the male.

The hatchling occurs every 6 months; the eggs have sizes around 3 to 4 mm and are laid by the female, who has an ovipositor that looks like a stinger, although it is not used to defend themselves.

Besides their camouflage to protect themselves from predators like birds, small mammals, ants and spiders they form groups under bark and hollows from logs and trees. As another mechanism of defence the males have big large femoral spines that, when disturbed, can take on a defensive position where the abdomen raises using the spines this way as a defence mechanism.