Stick Insects (Phasmatodea)

Stick insects are so well camouflaged that they really blend into the vegetation. Unfortunately, the one pictured here didn’t get it quite right as the brown stick insect stood out clearly against the green leaves of the plant that it was sitting on, which is how come I was able to spot it in the first place.

Stick insects have six legs and feed on vegetation. Their primary means of defence is to stay motionless with a gentle swaying side to side motion, so mimicking the movement of a twig in the breeze.

Birds, frogs and lizards are the main predators of stick insects here in Barbados. They are related to grasshoppers and crickets, and are primarily nocturnal creatures. Stick insects are also called “walking sticks” and, here in Barbados, they are commonly called “godhorses” though I’m not sure why.

I used to see stick insects often as a child, but no so much nowadays. I guess that development has taken away much of their environment and pushed them into smaller and smaller areas.

If you'd like to read more about Barbados, you may be interested in my other blog, Things Barbados.