Stick Insects "Doing what comes natur'lly"

When I was a youngster, in Melbourne, I remember this song as 

the "naughtiest" thing I had ever heard.

Doin' What Comes Natur'lly

"Folks are dumb where I come from,
They ain't had any learning.
Still they're happy as can be
Doin' what comes naturally (doin' what comes naturally).
Folks like us could never fuss
With schools and books and learning.
Still we've gone from A to Z,
Doin' what comes naturally (doin' what comes naturally)
You don't have to know how to read or write
When you're out with a feller in the pale moonlight.
You don't have to look in a book to find out
What he thinks of the moon and what is on his mind.
That comes naturally (that comes naturally)."

For some reason, given the strict Catholic background of my family, we were allowed to sing this song around the house, seemingly without giving offence. Strange that. My Mother was tone deaf (seriously so) and maybe she liked Ethel Merman's slightly atonal singing? Who knows?
I fondly remember hearing that George Gershwin "made her promise never to work with a singing teacher" Good advice, that! If your voice has a unique tone, and style, exploit it, don't let someone train it out of you.

Anyway, what's all this about?

 .

This.
(Click on the images to enlarge them)

A mating pair of Robinson's Stick-insects
Note the dramatic size difference between
the small male and the large female.
That size difference between the sexes
is quite a common factor
in many species of Stick-insects.
(but not as obvious in
the Lord Howe Island Phasmids)

These Stick-insects (Phasmids) were mating on my friends Matt and Cat's front door last night, when I came to pick Matt up to go to our Tuesday night Trivia Session at Three Creeks Cafe. To explain, the glass door served to silhouette these Stick-insects, so although they are only quite small, they were clearly visible, even in the dark  (with the light on in the house behind them).

I noticed these insects when I knocked on the door, and as they were still "engaged" several hours later, when we came back from Trivia Night, I sought permission to get some shots. As that involved using the Flash outside their front door, I knew I needed to seek permission, lest I alarm Cat and the kiddies. Anyway, it was all pretty discrete, and no concern was expressed. Certainly, no harm was done to the Stick-insects. They were still "engaged" when I left.

Head and antennae of the female
Robinson's Stick-insect.
Note the orange mouth parts
and the long antennae
 (with light bands across them)

This is a male which I had seen on my own front porch, earlier on during the day.

Male Robinson's Stick-insect

I would never have dared to ID this fellow from the poor quality photo I had of it. About the only detail I had been able to make out was the long antennae with faint banding evident. (In the picture, the two antennae are held together, between the two front legs. It makes it seem like it has 3 front legs, but that's never going to be right, is it?)

But with the much larger female turning up in the evening (three doors up the road) I had a bit more to work with.

I got out my copy of "The Complete Field Guide to Stick and Leaf Insects of Australia" by Paul D Brock and Jack W Hasenpusch and started to track through looking firstly at the illustrations and then the distribution maps (many tropical or West Australian species can easily be ruled out).
 

The Field Guide is also available in an eBook version.

You can even read a review of this Field Guide by "Snail" (my Blogging colleague) at her Blog site.

I was fortunate that after I had written about the Lord Howe Island Stick-insects, a few months ago, I had been contacted directly by Paul Brock. Paul works as a Scientific Associate at the Natural History Museum in London, and is a world authority on Stick and Leaf Insects. Anyway, with my mating pair I decided to follow up a comment Paul had made in his email to me, that he had visited Robertson several years ago and had found a number of specimens of Candovia robinsoni (which seem to have ended up in the Australian Museum). These (confusingly named - in the circumstances) - Robinson's Stick-insects in and around Robertson. He commented that they were "common" in the local Robertson Nature Reserve (which is just down the end of my street) and at the Barren Grounds Nature Reserve. He also commented that these insects could easily be found at night. (Yet another entomologist who swears that night time is the best time to chase insects!).
 

Anyway, I fired off a quick email this morning to Paul, in London, with two of these images, and got a reply back several hours later, confirming my tentative ID of my pair of Stick-insects as Candovia robinsoni.  

Yeah! Its always good to have got the ID right, and then to get it confirmed by an expert.

He also confirmed that this species does not have wings (for my pair are presumably both "mature" and yet neither has wings), unlike some Phasmids which have dramatic wings.
 

It is always appreciated when serious entomologists and other specialists are prepared to assist the likes of myself, an amateur naturalist, doing my best to get a decent ID (but I sometimes get it wrong). In this case, my thanks go to Paul Brock for his advice.


Incidentally, it seems to be a season for Stick-insects as Joy, another Blogger, (from the north coast of NSW) has just reported on finding a much larger Stick-insect than mine. And so has my Facebook friend Murray, from the South Coast of NSW.

Lord Howe Island Phasmids visit Robertson

UPDATE:
ABC Four Corners had a brief story on these insects on 22 March 2012.
Scroll through to about 21 minutes into the program, to watch the story.
http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/912389

Thanks to my brother Brendan for the tip off.
It is good to see them breeding up so successfully, and for the chance to see them live (even on the Tele).

Denis
26 March 2012

*******************

 
Several Lord Howe Island Phasmids (Dryococelus australis) visited Robertson last evening. They are an ancient form of "Stick Insect". Phasmid is the scientific term for this class of insects.

Don't worry, Folks - this is not an Extension of Range claim.

These guys were in the hands of a licensed and registered "Recovery Team" member.

A pair of Lord Howe Island Phasmids

Stephen Fellenberg spoke to the Robertson Environment Protection Society last night, about the plight of what has been assessed as the rarest insect on earth. 

a Male Lord Howe Island Phasmid in Stephen's left hand.

This species of Stick Insect was considered likely to be extinct from the 1920s, right through to the 1960s. That claim started to be suspected as not accurate, when several freshly dead specimens were reported by two separate groups of climbers, in 1965 and then again in 1968. These climbers had been climbing Balls Pyramid - the highest volcanic "Sea Stack" in the world. A "Sea Stack" is a near vertical rock emerging from the Ocean. Many are old cliff edge remnants, but this one is of volcanic origin. It is some 23 Kms from Lord Howe Island. 

The Lord Howe Island Phasmid used be common on the main island of Lord Howe Island territory, but after Rats were accidentally introduced (after a shipwreck in 1918), these insects appeared to have been eliminated within just a few short years, They had been exterminated by the Rats - on the main Island. 

They were presumed to be extinct, until the climbers reported finding freshly dead specimens, back in the late 1960s, on Balls Pyramid. But access to Balls Pyramid is severely restricted, (both legally and physically). Several researchers went to Balls Pyramid in 2001, and reported having found eggs, and then a small group of these insects were found under some low Lord Howe Island Tea Tree (Melaleuca howeana) shrubs. 

Head of a Lord Howe Island Phasmid - on the Melaleuca howeana

Hopes then started to rise for the recovery of this species. Another expedition was launched in 2003, and live specimens (2 males and 2 females) were brought back to the mainland, in order to establish a recovery program for the species.

head of the smaller insect, the male Lord Howe Island Phasmid

There are several groups of these insects, alive and some breeding success has been occurring, in the research groups. Presumably there are others still "doing their thing" on Balls Pyramid. One hopes so.

It is listed as "Critically Endangered" under the Federal Environment Protection legislation, and listed as "Endangered" under the NSW Threatened Species legislation, (Lord Howe Island is part of the territory of NSW, administratively.)

front view of female Lord Howe Island Phasmid

You may read more about the history of this insect, its near extinction, and its rediscovery, and its recovery program on the website for "Friends of the Phasmid".

You may read more and see images of Lord Howe Island here.

Wikipedia has good coverage of the geology, history, and ecology of the Island and Balls Pyramid.

 

 

A baby Stick Insect stuck to my head

Stick insects can "stick". Well, at least they can "grab hold" of one's head very successfully. 

Yesterday I was out at Medway, looking for signs of the Corunastylis sagittifera (Orchid) species which I have previously seen there. I found one small flower, severely deformed, because the stem had shrivelled at the base. This reminds me of  a fungal problem seen in many domestic "ornamental plants", including my beloved Peonies. But I know nothing more about it than that. I shall merely "report" the occurrence.

Corunastylis sagittifera, not fully open.

But while lying on the ground, to get the photographs, something quite large grabbed hold of my hair and my ear.

Now, I find such uninvited attention, from an unknown insect somewhat alarming.

I swept my hand across the side of my head, and watched to see what was knocked off (expecting a bloody great spider).

I found a harmless-looking green insect, which I assumed was a Katydid (simply because I guessed that it was not a Grasshopper). It has very small mouth parts, and small rounded eyes. (Have you ever noticed how Grasshoppers tend to have oval eyes, often set on a slight diagonal angle?)

So, I decided to take its photograph, and started by encouraging it to climb onto the base of my walking stick.

Podacanthus nymph (Stick Insect) on my walking stick.

It was remarkably cooperative with my endeavours to photograph it. No self-respecting Grasshopper would do that.

I had first wondered if it might have been a Katydid of the group of Katydids known as "Phasmodes" (even though they are reported only from Western Australia).

My fellow Blogger, and supposedly "retired" entomologist (they never do "retire" of course) Dave Rentz advised me: "It’s probably a nymph of a Podacanthus species. Of which there are a number in your area."

Thanks Dave, for setting me straight.

It still leaves me puzzling why it is that darned insects often look like other insects, even of different tribes (orders)? 

I placed the Podacanthus nymph on a Lomatia bush.

 

Podacanthus nymph got very excited, and waved at me.

Podacanthus nymph, with fine "tail end", and long legs.

Head of this Podacanthus nymph

We parted on good terms, and I waved it goodbye.

Thanks again to Dave Rentz for his willingness to share his knowledge.

Such assistance is greatly appreciated.

Margin-winged Stick Insect in Robertson.

My friend Melissa met me at the Service Station in Robbo today and asked me to have a look at a "Preying Mantis". It had been gripping onto the wing mirror of her vehicle - not a good career move for any insect. I was able to say it was a type of "Stick Insect", and as I knew it was a vegetarian, I was confident enough to allow it to crawl onto my hand. (Apparently some Stick Insects do pinch with their claws, or worse, some "spray" unpleasant fluids, but this one was very polite.) It immediately climbed up my arms (they can move surprisingly quickly, on account of their very long legs). It then perched on top of my blue hat, much to the amusement of Melissa's daughter Paris!

Of course, I did not have my camera with me.
How often have I said: "Never leave home without your Camera, Denis!" ?

Fortunately Steve at the Servo was able to provide me with a box, long enough to make a temporary home for this insect, until I could get it home, to photograph it, and then release it.

Here is the full body of this long-legged insect.
It is a near perfect match for this insect on Donald Hobern's insects set.
He identified his insect as Ctenomorpha marginipennis
The Margin-winged Stick-Insect.

Note (in the shot above) how the wings are clearly visible (thickened part), and cover about two-thirds of the abdomen. Males have longer wings, as they fly around in search of females.

Here is its head, close-up, showing the
two laterally positioned large main eyes
and three "occelli" (primitive eyes) arranged in a triangle,
(Click to enlarge the view)
Here is another view of the head and mouth.
There is a basic structural similarity with the face of the insect. in Donald Hobern's shot.

Here is a shot of its wings and lower abdomen.
Here is its tail, complete with "cerci".
In males they are larger, and used as "claspers" (similarly to Dragonflies).
I think this insect might be a female.***

*** Donald Hobern has advised:
"The projecting lump below the abdomen in your photo is the operculum or 'subgenital plate' of a male. Females have a longer, more boat-shaped operculum.

"The combination of size, prominent cerci and prominent ocelli (again a male characteristic) rules out any other species in this part of the country."

Here is a very poor shot of the Stick Insect having been released safely outside.

I have previously reported on three very different species of Stick Insects. One was an endemic (local) species - the Tessellated Phasmid Stick Insect; one was the "Laboratory Stick Insect" (from India) - which was "pet"; and one other, the very spectacular "Goliath Stick Insect", (which was also a "pet") - it comes originally from Queensland, but was raised by CSIRO, and given away to a school child, as part of an "Open Day" promotion for the Division of Entomology.

Unusual creatures of the bush

We all know there are spiders in the bush. In the tall Eucalypt forest in East Kangaloon the webs of the leaf-curling spiders, and other spiders really do dominate the bush, as one tries to walk between the shrubbery of the area. The Leaf-curling Spiders form strong webs, in which they include a dried Eucalypt leaf, curled around to make a protective sheath. I seldom photograph these, as there is no chance of getting a good photo of the spider inside, and I figure everyone who knows the Aussie bush is familiar with these things. But the way they dominate the bush in high summer is something new to me. You can hardly walk any distance without having to break through webs, in this part of the tall Eucalypt forests of East Kangaloon.

Anyway, there was one striking Spider which I did manage to photograph the other day. This Spider had a near perfect web - in general terms, its overall shape is circular (known as an "orb"), with each panel adjusted at an appropriate angle, as it intersects each radiating line coming out from close to the centre. At the real centre of the web, where the spider waits, there is a small gap, with few of the fine "arc" lines (the web lines which make up the circular pattern of the main section of the web). Remarkably I managed to find an identity for it. It is Cyrtophora moluccensis, which tells me that this Spider's range extends to the Moluccas islands, in Indonesia, from where the "type specimen" was collected. In fact they range from India, to Japan and Australia.
Apparently the Spider may use a web for several weeks, repairing it as necessary, until she rebuilds it completely. This spider is very colourful. Web photos of this species show great variation between individuals, but the image linked here shows one with very similar markings to my specimen. The back of that specimen is nearly black, but the patterns on the side are virtually identical. Another internet site refers to these Spiders having a rusty red mark on the back of the abdomen - which fits my specimen nicely.

Here is a wonderfully bizarre Stick Insect. 

• I had thought that it was the Tesselated Stick Insect  Ctenomorphodes tessulatus.
• EDIT 13 Feb 2012: I have been contacted by Paul Brock, from the Natural History Museum of London, an internationally recognised expert on Phasmids. He has advised that the correct name for this insect is in fact Podacanthus wilkinsoni. Many thanks for that Paul; I always welcome getting good advice on correct names. 

I was thrilled to find this specimen, as I have not seen one of these creatures, for many many years. It was about 12 centimetres (more than 6 inches) long. Its main feature is its wonderful camouflage. It has a habit of rocking back and forth slowly, seemingly to resemble a leaf, blowing in the wind.

This specimen had been damaged (lost its second and third leg on the left hand side), presumably as a result of an encounter with a predator. Similar injuries are reported in the discussion of the life cycle of these insects, on the Chew Family's wonderful website "Brisbane Insects and Spiders Home Page". The apparent ability to "lose a leg" is speculated on as a survival tactic, as a way of dealing with predator attacks.This insect had very large "leaf-like" appendages on its rear. These are called "cerci", and apparently are tactile, sense organs. I had assumed that they were "claspers" as in Dragonflies, but apparently not. Indeed, you can see in this close-up photo, they do not have any clasping mechanisms, but look almost like flat "paddles".Stick Insects are generally creatures of the tree tops, and so we seldom see them. But apparently females descend to lower levels, presumably to lay their eggs. This one was clinging to the rough bark of a Eucalypt tree, at about one metre from the ground.
This is a top-down view of the head of the Stick Insect. You can clearly see its eyes. Its mouth is apparently designed for leaf-eating (it is not a carnivore). The antennae are not particularly long (compared to the large size of this insect). Male Stick Insects apparently have relatively long antennae, presumably to help them find mates. (Paul Brock says mine is a male.)