Prickly stick insect facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prickly stick insect |
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The prickly stick insect (scientific name: Acanthoxyla prasina) is a fascinating insect that looks just like a twig! It belongs to the group of insects called stick insects. These insects are known for their amazing ability to blend into their surroundings. You can find this special insect all over New Zealand.
Meet the Prickly Stick Insect
The prickly stick insect is a master of disguise. Its body is covered in small, thorny bumps. These bumps help it look exactly like a spiky branch or a piece of bark. This special skin is its natural camouflage. It helps the insect hide from birds and other animals that might want to eat it.
Even though it lives throughout New Zealand, this stick insect is not seen as often as some other common stick insect types. It's very good at staying hidden!
How Does It Reproduce?
The prickly stick insect has a very unique way of having babies. It reproduces through something called parthenogenesis. This is a scientific word that means the female insect can lay eggs and produce offspring all by herself. She does not need a male to fertilize her eggs.
Because of this, scientists have never found a male prickly stick insect. All the prickly stick insects found so far are females. They are able to create new generations of stick insects without any help from a male.
Where Do They Live?
The prickly stick insect is native to New Zealand. This means it naturally lives there. However, sometimes insects can travel to new places by accident. This is what happened with the prickly stick insect.
It has been accidentally carried to England. In England, the insect has found a good environment. It is able to reproduce well there, even though it's not its original home.
