STICK BUG

TAXONOMY

• KINGDOM: ANIMALIA
• PHYLUM: ARTHROPODA
• CLASS: INSECTA
• ORDER: PHASMATODEA
• FAMILY: PHASMATIDAE
• GENUS: CARASIUS
• SPECIES: MOROSUS

STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM 

DIET:
;herbivorous-feeding mostly on the leaves of trees and shrubs
; leaves of rose, raspberry, and blackberry bushes.

HABITAT:
; resembles the twigs among which it lives, hence the name "STICK BUG"
; can be kept as pets.
; tropics, temperate regions - forests and grasslands

BEHAVIOUR

• generally mimic their surroundings in color, normally green or brown
• rocking behavior in which the insect makes rhythmic, repetitive, side-to-side movements
• Some species are able to produce a defensive spray when threatened.
• nocturnal

COMMUNICATION:
- antenna

BENEFITS:
; feeding activity may be beneficial because they prune foliage, encouraging new plant growth.
NOT-SO-GOOD:
; tattered and missing leaves in landscaping reduce curb appeal and may incur financial loss.
; they have caused severe defoliation of forest trees, resulting in tree death (tropics, where they are abundant.)

LIFE CYCLE

1. Eggs
Generally, females will lay in excess of 100 -1000 eggs, depending on the species. Eggs can hatch after a period of few weeks to several months, depending on species and habitat.
2. Nymph
Resemble adults but differ in color and size. They grow by shedding the outer layer of skin as they grow in size. Depending on species and sex, nymphs molt on average between four and eight times before maturity. To escape predators, nymphs are able to shed off limbs - and regenerate them during the molting process (like how lizard can lose its tail and regrow it.) This ability lasts only until maturity.

3.Adulthood
Stick bugs mature after 3 months to a year. Females are generally larger than males. This is due to their large abdomens for reproduction and larger mouths to consume more food.
4.Mating and Reproduction
Stick insects are able to reproduce through parthenogenesis - a process in which unfertilized eggs develop individually. Eggs to not need to be fertilized by males for reproduction to continue. Unfertilized eggs hatch to resemble the females that produced them. [some males exist and mate with the females.] During mating, a male and female will remain coupled together for several hours, days or even weeks.

ARE THEY POISONOUS??

REFERENCES

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carausius_morosus
• http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/stick-insect/
• file:///Users/Home/Downloads/9781616136093.pdf
• http://animals.mom.me/walking-stick-bug-its-significance-environment-8778.h...
• http://animals.mom.me/life-cycle-walking-stick-bug-6523.html

ALIETTE