Indian Walking Stick Insect Natural History
Size
Adult Indian walking stick insects reach between 8-10cm in length and they can range from a light green to a dark brown colour.
Habitat and Distribution
This species of stick insect is native to South India, specifically Tamil Nadu. They inhabit tropical forests and woodlands.
Age
This species of stick insect typically live between 6 to 12 months.
Diet
Indian walking stick insects are nocturnal feeders and they are folivores. Typically, they eat bramble, ivy, lettuce, privet, rowan and spiderwort.
Groups and Breeding
These stick insects are parthenogenic meaning that a female does not require a male to reproduce. She essentially clones herself! The female will lay brown oval shaped eggs which are round 2mm in length. After approximately 2 months, the nymphs hatch out of the eggs.
Threats
Indian walking stick insects have not been evaluated by the IUCN Red List.
Interesting Facts
When spooked, their first line of defense is to fake death. They sometime even sway side-to-side to mimic the movement of foliage in the wind.
The Indian Walking Stick Insects During Your Day Out in Kent
Our Indian walking stick insects can be found in our Bug House along with many other invertebrate species, including many tarantula species, our endangered white-clawed crayfish as well as millipedes.