Stick insects, as their name implies, are insects that have taken camouflage and imitation to the extreme by developing the appearance of a stick, leaf, or twig. Typically, these insects are shades of brown, although some may be green, black, gray, or blue.

When camouflage is not enough, some stick insects use active forms of defense to handle predators. For example, the species Eurycantha calcarata can release an awful-smelling substance as a deterrent. Find out more!

Because stick insects make a very nutritious and filling meal for many birds, reptiles, spiders, and primates, they are mostly nocturnal so as not to be found so easily. Even though stick insects can sometimes avoid diurnal predators, they are not safe from bats. Echolocation used by bats can help them hone in on the tiny noises made by stick insects for a tasty meal.

Stick insects are herbivores that munch on leaves with their powerful jaws, called mandibles. Their droppings contain broken-down plant material that becomes food for other insects.

One of the most interesting things about stick insects is their ability to reproduce parthenogenetically. This is a form of asexual reproduction where the unfertilized females produce eggs that hatch into females. If a male fertilizes the egg, it has a fifty-fifty chance of turning out male. If no males are around, the line continues with females only.