A fly in visit from a stick insect and I had a brief flash of brilliant violet colour when I disturbed it and the wings opened for a second. but I could not get a photo with the wings on display. The other identifying feature is a spur on the hind leg which is where the common name derives, Spur-legged Phasmid (or stick insect). Didymuria violescens gives more weight to the wing colour and the other common name Violet Stick Insect.
This one is a male, as only the male flies and has the spur on the legs, where as the female only has very small wings and stays put in the tree tops feeding on gum leaves and waiting for a mate to fly in.
They are found in Eucalyptus forests in Eastern Australia and at times are a problem when found in large numbers in timber plantations.
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