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Kōrero: Stick insects

Bristly stick insect

Bristly stick insect

New Zealand’s largest stick insect is the bristly stick insect (Argosarchus horridus). Adult females such as the one climbing on this little girl have bodies up to 14 centimetres long (or 20 centimetres with their forelegs stretched in front of them). The largest stick insect is Phobaeticus serratipes from Malaysia, at 56 centimetres including its legs. Grey or brown, bristly stick insects are notable for the little spines on the thorax and abdomen. Although they might appear monstrous, like all the New Zealand species they are harmless vegetarians.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Private collection

by Steve Trewick

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Steve Trewick, Stick insects – Forest phantoms, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/10702/bristly-stick-insect (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Steve Trewick, i tāngia i te 1 March 2009.

Comments

Claire
02 December 2015
I have a colony of stick insects in my garden,they are living on some blackberry I was trying to get rid of. That day they all climbed up the trellis behind the bramble, about 23 of various sizes. I pulled and trimmed and dug in the garden, then I saw all the beautiful creatures. Now I can't get rid of the plant they are living on!! The males are skinny and brown, and the females are bigger and beige/greenish. The 1" long babies are bright green or brown. They seem to look after each other, and reach out to others of there is a breeze (or I have touched the plant they are holding onto.) I saw one 6 - 7cm long female was all puffed up, I suspect she was full of eggs. She climbed up to the highest point, I guess to disperse those eggs over a wider area. I am a little obsessed with them now, and check on them daily, they like to sunbathe on still days. I have made videos and named a few of them... So much better than TV. Hey kids, get outside, maybe there are some at place on the roses. I am thinking of capturing some and setting them free on a hillside near my house,where there are wild blackberry plants all over. They will love it!
kieran and susan
12 March 2011
We have one my son named, sydney...he is wandering around the outside of our house, rocking back and forth in the wind. he kept falling and trying to climb back up so we've moved him to a more covered area. (using a stick for him to cling onto.) very interesting, creepy, but cool too.