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Although incapable of flight, this female Crowned Stick Insect (Onchestus rentzi) employs her wings for an entirely different purpose: defense. She has excellent camouflage when at rest but if discovered and threatened she will abruptly raise her wings as a startle tactic. The sudden increase in size and flash of color may cause some would-be predators to think twice before attacking. This species has a fascinating mode of reproduction: the females drop their small brown eggs at random on the forest floor where they are often mistaken for seeds by ants who then gather them for storage underground. The eggs then are able to mature in a relatively safe environment. Queensland, Australia.

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© Chien C. Lee
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Australia, Insects
Although incapable of flight, this female Crowned Stick Insect (Onchestus rentzi) employs her wings for an entirely different purpose: defense. She has excellent camouflage when at rest but if discovered and threatened she will abruptly raise her wings as a startle tactic. The sudden increase in size and flash of color may cause some would-be predators to think twice before attacking. This species has a fascinating mode of reproduction: the females drop their small brown eggs at random on the forest floor where they are often mistaken for seeds by ants who then gather them for storage underground. The eggs then are able to mature in a relatively safe environment. Queensland, Australia.