Phil

This is Phil. Phil is (or was, sadly) a female Phyllium monteithi, a leaf insect endemic to Australia and only found in tropical Queensland. Leaf insects are the masters of mimicry and like to hang off a branch like the leaves they look like. If you ever get the chance to see one up close …

The stick insect grew up!

My stick insect had her final moult recently. Now she is an adult, she is substantially longer and has little pink wings on her back. Based on her small colourful wings and delicate frame, she is most probably from the genus Sipyloidea (Family: Diapheromeridae, Subfamily: Necrosciina), perhaps nelida, similis or bella. Species is a little …

Yay! New toys!

My supervisor returned from his holiday to the Outback with a present for me. (And I quote) "Some new toys to play with" said he. 'For me?' I wondered 'What could it be?'. "Toys are the best kind of presents" I said with glee. He replied "I've brought you some new insects, three," (he didn't …

Who’s that Morabine?

The other species I have another Morabine species, beside Warramaba virgo, that I care for in my collection. Above, you can see some pictures I took of a male when I had a look at him under a dissection microscope. We picked up three males and one female on the way back from collecting W. …