A stick insect has the skill of camouflage, and is well able to defend itself from its predators. In addition to this the stick insect can imitate branches, spray dangerous chemicals, make itself emit an unpleasant odor, have spikes, change colors and even fall to the ground and play dead. With all these defenses the stick insect still finds itself vulnerable to predators as it is a delicate creature. This is one of the reasons that it is quite rare for stick insects to gather the critical mass needed to form a plague.

However, they have had their moments, and in’63 a plague of stick insects descended on 650 square miles of forest in Southern Australia and stripped it bare. There have also been similar cases in the Pacific where coconut plantations have proved to be rich breeding grounds.

In order for something as rare as a stick insect plague to occur a number of factors have to align. The first is a consistent temperature over many years to enable the plague population to build up. In addition to this a number of years without forest fires is needed so that the vegetation is plentiful enough to support the booming population. The absence of fires also supports the growth of the population on a sustained basis.

If you have a pet stick insect you must be careful not to allow it to escape into the wild. The introduction of species into habitats where they do not naturally occur can cause an imbalance in the ecosystem. This type of imbalance could lead to a population surge and a plague.

Thus whilst stick insects face do have many predators (rats, birds, mammals, wasps etc.) they do sometimes breed and gather in sufficient numbers to form a plague. They can be devastating creatures. It’s an interesting thing to consider when you are next delicately handling your pet stick – unleashed in the wild as a plague theses can be creatures of mass destruction.

Want to find out more about stick insects, then visit this site where you can find out all about tropical pets.