Tuesday, March 31, 2009

"Mr Stick"


Meet Mr Stick who was our house guest for one night. My partner found it out near the front door on the fly screen on the front window. We kept it over night as the kids were asleep by then. We wanted to show them in the morning as a surprise.
Katie loves bugs. She named him Mr Stick. It would have to be one of the biggest stick insects I've seen in the wild.
Silly me I didn't think to measure it at the time but Katie is an 8 year old and compared to her, it's huge. Stick insects are quite placid creatures but I didn't like touching it (a big chicken I know LOL). I was scared that I might squish it accidentally. Big creatures without backbones make my skin crawl. I like to look at them but not touch them. Except cicadas......
I love cicadas come to think of it. It was a very quiet season this year. I only saw one Green Grocer this season - last season they were everywhere (I wasn't blogging then). I was hoping to have a cicada count on my blog this season....... well, maybe next season.


Katie was giggling when Mr Stick was climbing over her. She is so brave. LOL.

My mum and dad where coming over for a visit later that morning. They usually have their cameras with them. I put the stick insect on my Peace Lily thinking it would be a nice snack for it while we where waiting, then I would take a few pictures and let it go out in the backyard.


This stick insect only eats eucalyptus leaves so my Peace Lily wasn't a nice snack.



I took it out side and put it on the gum tree and munch munch munch .......


I had a go on my mum's Nikon camera. Wow, what a difference a decent camera makes.
I was trying to capture the movement of it jaws eating the gum leaf. I took a whole heap of photos - here are a couple.



18 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow! that is a really beautiful nad yes BIG stick insect. my boys are hootin' and hollerin' over it right now as i type this. most excellent!

woolladyfelter said...

Thats incredible. I have only seen them in pictures. Your little one is very brave - kinda creeps me out too. I use to let caterpillars crawl all over me (about 30) when I was little. So I'm one to talk!

karisma said...

Very cool! They are amazing creatures hey? We found one in our yard a while back too! Zak had such a great time admiring it. I had never thought they got that big either, but beleive it or not the one we found was bigger again. We actually thought it was a stick at first until it walked.

themagiconions said...

My Goodness... he is HUGE! She is so brave, don't think I'd be able to overcome the panic creep factor. He is cool though!

Amber said...

Ohhh that is so so so awsome. He is a big Mr Stick. Wow how lucky when we see a moment of such an amazing creatures life..

Joy said...

That's so cool! Katie is definitely brave. My 8 year old daughter wouldn't let it crawl all over her like that! I'm glad you were able to keep it overnight for them to see.

Lisa said...

Wow! That is the coolest insect ever! I can't get over how brave Katie was! Seriously, loving this post. My girls really enjoyed it as well!

dawn klinge said...

These photos are fascinating! I've definitely never seen any insect that large. Your daughter is so brave. :)

Linda said...

Wow, what amzing photos, my children will be so impressed when I show them tomorrow...

therese said...

Ooh, that kind of creeps me out too, i admit, though shamefully. My husband tells me that they kind of wiggle from side to side when they are standing still...

Leanne said...

Oh we have one just the same that lives in our guava tree!! Aren;t they amazing. Ours has now found a smaller partner so when we search for him everyday we also search for an egg sack. Cool.

sunnymama said...

That is really big! You got some great pictures.

denise said...

Cool! That (and the hissing cockroach) is one of the few bugs my son freaks out about...otherwise he LOVES insects and spiders and all those goodies. That is a huge one!

Glennis said...

Now thats a brave wee girl letting that stick insect climb all over her. At her age I might have done the same! But that is a big one!

Lynne said...

That's a huge stick insect! Brave Katie! I've never actually seen one in the wild; I think their camouflage works too well!

Sherrin said...

That's quite a head piece she has!! Stick Insects are amazing creatures.

Anonymous said...

Ooooh My Lord, I almost fainted!!

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