Twiggy
Giant spiny stick insect
Eurycantha calcarata
Born:
2026
New Guinea
Native range:
My story:
Twiggy lives in a huge jungle enclosure alongside hundreds of brothers and sisters. Despite there being so many of them, their camouflage is truly second to none. At first glance, the enclosure can appear completely empty—but once you finally spot one stick insect, another suddenly appears, followed by another, until you realise that hundreds of them have been hiding in plain sight!
During the daytime, Twiggy and the rest of the colony remain almost perfectly motionless, blending into the surrounding branches and bark. Once darkness falls, however, the entire jungle comes alive. Hundreds of stick insects begin climbing and exploring while steadily chewing their way through the fresh plants—which we have to replace almost every day!
DId you know?
Male giant spiny stick insects possess enormous curved spines on their powerful back legs. If threatened, a male can raise these armoured legs and snap them together like a spiky trap, giving a predator a surprisingly painful pinch. Males also use these extraordinary built-in weapons when wrestling with rivals.