Heteropteryx dilatata
| Distribution: | Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Sarawak, Thailand |
| Size: | 150mm (female), 100mm (male) |
| Diet: | Tropical plant leaves |
This illustration shows a female, who is much larger, and much more limey green*, than their male counterparts. The males are thinner, brown, but have much larger wings that enable them to fly.
You’ll notice this stick insect doesn’t look especially stick- or leaf-like compared to some of the other species I’ve drawn. This means it has a slightly higher chance of being spotted by predators, so needs to have a couple of powerful defence mechanisms up its metaphorical sleeves.
Let’s say it is suddenly attacked by a curious bird. First, H.dilatata lifts its abdomen and rear legs in the air whilst making a loud rustling noise with its small wings, a technique known as stridulation. Secondly, if the bird is not already dissuaded** and tries to attack, the jungle nymph snaps its hind legs together (the ones that were raised in the air, remember) in a scissor action, and the bird gets a big old dose of those sharp leg spines right in its beaky face. At that point it probably flies off whilst swearing profusely.
*only in adulthood – for most of their life they’re the same brown colour as the males
**perhaps because it’s wearing noise-cancelling headphones so the stridulation has no discernible impact
Take a closer look…
