Australia is known for the many animals living here: kangaroos, koalas, crocodiles, and even huge spiders. However, there’s another addition to this place that caught everybody’s attention, we are talking about a giant stick insect. This is probably the heaviest insect ever found in the continent and it shows that Australia’s nature hides so many secrets.
Most people tend to avoid insects because they fear them or they disgust them, people even look for remedies to get rid of them. So, if you are one of these people, do you think you will be fine in Australia? Let’s find out more about this stick insect.
A huge insect in Australia
The insect we are going to be talking about is called Acrophylla alta and lives in the tropical rainforest of the Atherton Tablelands, in northeastern Australia. Although stick insects tend to be long and thin, this one is different: it weighs up to 44 grams (like a golf ball) and measures about 41 cm with its legs stretched out. This is longer than the average human forearm!
Scientists explain that longer stick insects were already known in Australia, but not that heavy. That’s why they think this one could be the heaviest in the country and maybe in the world.
How did they find it?
How crazy is it that nobody has seen it before, even though it’s so big? Well, the reason is that it lives 30 meters above the ground, at the top of the tropical rainforest’s trees, where it’s very difficult to reach. What’s more, this stick insect is an expert at camouflage, so it can be confused with branches and leaves.
The most curious thing about this finding is that the insect was discovered by nature lovers, no scientist found it. This happened after a storm, when the animal went down the trees and people started to take pictures of it. Then, they posted the pictures on an app called iNaturalist, where insect experts could identify it as a new species in Australia.
The eggs mystery
To make sure it was really a new species, researchers also studied its eggs. Each type of stick insect lays eggs with different shapes, textures and unique details, as if they were art pieces. These eggs helped scientists distinguish the Acrophylla alta from other similar insects.
Why is it so heavy?
One reason for this stick insect’s size and measure could be its adaptation to the environment. The tropical rainforest of Australia is humid and fresh, this is why scientists believe large bodies help them preserve heat, which is so important to develop its eggs and survive in a low temperature climate.
What we can learn from this finding
This discovery is a reminder of how little we know about nature, even in a country so studied as Australia is. This opens a whole new hypothesis because if an insect of this measure could have gone unnoticed for so long, how many other species are still hidden in the rainforest?
This is why experts highlight the importance of protecting natural ecosystems in Australia. Each time a forest or rainforest is destroyed, there exists the risk of losing unique species that could have a crucial role in nature’s balance.
I know many people want many insects to disappear, but as experts say they are so important. I mean, have you ever thought about why these insects exist? Each of them contribute to the environment in some way, so we need to see them as part of our planet and not as intruders. So, next time you see an insect, think about this article.