Timemas and Stick and Leaf Insects: Phasmida - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction, Stick Insects And People, Conservation Status, Jungle Nymph (heteropteryx Dilatata): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT
phasmids common forests found
Phasmids live on all continents, except Antarctica. They are also found on many islands. There are approximately three thousand species of phasmids worldwide, with about forty-four species in Canada and the United States.
Phasmids are found in a wide variety of habitats in warmer and tropical climates, including gardens, woodlands, pine and fir forests, chaparral, desert scrub, and grasslands. They are most common in moist, tropical forests. Phasmids spend their days resting on shrubs and trees or hiding in nearby leaf litter or crevices (KREH-vuh-ses).
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Most phasmids are long, smooth bodied, and are colored green or brown to better match the surrounding vegetation. A few species are brightly marked with bold stripes. Their bodies are usually smooth, but some vary from slightly to very rough. A few species are covered with short, sharp spines. The head is distinct. Compound eyes are present, with each eye having multiple lenses. There are no simpl…
Phasmids spend most of their time hidden among their food plants, remaining absolutely motionless. They become active at night to feed and locate mates. Stick insects are sometimes found perching on walls and window screens with their fore legs extended forward. Since most species are colored in various shades of greens and browns, camouflage and remaining still are their first lines of defense. S…
Natives of Goodenough Island, New Guinea, used the large hooks found on the back legs of male Eurycantha, a large spiny species common in the region, as fishhooks. Large and spectacularly colored species are commonly collected, preserved, and mounted in decorative frames for sale to tourists. Living phasmids are popular with hobbyists, but the importation of exotic stick insects is strictly regula…
Physical characteristics: The large, broad, spiny, apple green females measure 5.4 to 6.3 inches (140 to 160 millimeters) in length and weigh up to 2.3 ounces (65 grams). The short green forewings of the adult completely cover the hind wings underneath. Males are smaller, ranging in length from 3.1 to 3.5 inches (80 to 90 millimeters) and are mottled brown with slender wings that cover the entire …
Physical characteristics: This species is somewhat smooth, plain, wingless, with antennae about one-third the length of the body. Adult males are thin, brown, and reach 1.9 to 2.4 inches (48 to 61 millimeters) in length. The bodies of the females are somewhat knobby and measure 2.8 to 3.3 inches (70 to 84 millimeters) in length. They are variously colored dull green or brown. The inner base of eac…
Physical characteristics: This species is long, slender, and shiny, with long antennae. Males measure 2.2 to 3.3 inches (55 to 84 millimeters) in length. The females are 2.8 to 4.0 inches (70 to 101 millimeters) long. The middle legs of the male are banded, and the appendages on the tip of their abdomen are distinctive and curved. Adult females are green, gray, or brown, and males are brownish wit…
Physical characteristics: Macleay's spectre is a large, winged leaf-mimic. The plump, heavy females have short wings and weigh 0.7 to 1.1 ounces (20 to 30 grams) and measure 3.9 to 6.3 inches (100 to 160 mm) in length. The smaller, lighter males have fully developed wings covering the length of the abdomen and range from 3.2 to 4.5 inches (81 to 115 millimeters). The legs and bodies of both…
Physical characteristics: The Javan leaf insect is a supreme leaf-mimic. Their broad green bodies and legs, with or without spots, are quite flattened. The antennae of the females are very short, while those of the male are longer. Adult males are 1.8 to 2.7 inches (46 to 68 millimeters) in length. Females range from 2.6 to 3.7 inches (67 to 94 millimeters). Geographic range: This species is wides…
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