Stick on the post

This character is usually more disguised, on a branch, rather than this standout position on one of our verandah posts. One of the some 140 species of stick and leaf insects found in Australia, this one Acrophylla tassellata is one of the larger ones (150mm body) and is related to the Regal phasma Acrophylla titan of North Queensland, which at a length of up to 300mm is one of the longest insects in the world. We get to see various species and they are not uncommon sights at this time of the year.As vegetarians these insects are feeders on the eucalyptus and some species can cause serious damage in the forestry industry, but this is not one of the problem ones.