Pseudodiacantha macklotti
| Distribution: | Java |
| Size: | 70mm body (female), 50mm body (male) |
| Diet: | Hazel and Rhododendron leaves |
P.Macklotti’s common name derives from the fact that it will sometimes cover itself with moss and lichen to aid its already impressive camouflage efforts. Like many stick insects, its wings are not big enough to allow flight but can be flashed as a warning to would-be predators.
Interestingly, most stick insects have descended from a common ancestor which one had wings but lost them over time (which often happens if they aren’t conferring an advantage to the species). This means that the winged stick insects we see today re-evolved wings, and some (but not this one) regained the art of flight.
Take a closer look…
