Innate behaviour for stick insects
Many stick insects behave in very strange and unusual ways. You often see insects swaying from side to side when the wind blows. They mimic leaves swaying in the wind. When the stick insects fall from their branch to the ground they remain absolutely still. Rather than scurry away to hide, the insect stays motionless. After all, what would a stick that has fallen from the tree do?
Why is this a survival advantage?
Some insects are so deceptive they play dead even when handled and their lives are in danger. Click to see a 400 Kb video of this strange behaviour.
The nymph of the Spiny Leaf Insect looks like a bull ant (above). Adult spiny leaf insects as shown on the right have similar behaviours when threatened. Click to see a mature insect being handled.
