According to Tony Rebelo and Paul Brock, here are the common stick insects you might well find in Avery Avenue. 
Most likely you will have the Indian or laboratory stick insect Carausius morosus a naturalized species in Cape Town. The female is about 70-84 mm, often brown, occasionally dull green and rather elongated. Its antennae are moderately long, and just about each the end of forelegs (unlike all other species).
Males not found as it reproduces parthenogenetically - so they are all clones of each other. They occur on ivy and other plants in gardens. They are aliens - having being introducted from Pulney [Palni] Hills, Tamil Nadu, Southern India . Also "escaped" into Europe and USA.
Males not found as it reproduces parthenogenetically - so they are all clones of each other. They occur on ivy and other plants in gardens. They are aliens - having being introducted from Pulney [Palni] Hills, Tamil Nadu, Southern India . Also "escaped" into Europe and USA.
TOP: Thunberg’s stick insect female, and LEFT: male.
Less likely to see in a garden is Thunberg’s stick insect, Macynia labiata, male 42-52 mm, female 54-56 mm.
The female small is plump, usually leaf green, with longitudinal cream side stripes from thorax to abdomen tip. Head and pronotum yellow, with green bands. Antennae green, except for two yellow basal segments. The mouthparts and cerci are pinkish-red, along with the end of the mesonotum laterally
The male is stick-like with long cerci. The antennae are short, light brownish green, with dark green legs and antennae, and bold pincer-like reddish brown cerci. Head and pronotum are yellowish with green bands.
Its foodplants are Athanasia trifurcata (Asteraceae), Colpoon compressum (Santalaceae), Erica species, including Erica aemula, the Australian tea tree Leptospermum laevigatum (Myrtaceae) and species of gonnabos Passerina (Thymelaeaceae). It is widespread in the Western and Eastern Cape and can be found all year round, although adults are mainly found from September to January.
The female small is plump, usually leaf green, with longitudinal cream side stripes from thorax to abdomen tip. Head and pronotum yellow, with green bands. Antennae green, except for two yellow basal segments. The mouthparts and cerci are pinkish-red, along with the end of the mesonotum laterally
The male is stick-like with long cerci. The antennae are short, light brownish green, with dark green legs and antennae, and bold pincer-like reddish brown cerci. Head and pronotum are yellowish with green bands.
Its foodplants are Athanasia trifurcata (Asteraceae), Colpoon compressum (Santalaceae), Erica species, including Erica aemula, the Australian tea tree Leptospermum laevigatum (Myrtaceae) and species of gonnabos Passerina (Thymelaeaceae). It is widespread in the Western and Eastern Cape and can be found all year round, although adults are mainly found from September to January.
TOP:Cape stick insect, Phalces brevis, male, and ABOVE: female.
Then there is Phalces brevis, the Cape stick insect. The male is 50-55 mm, the female 70-80 mm. It is very stick-like, with short antennae. The females are usually brown or grey, perhaps speckled, occasionally green. It is variable in length but often about four times the length of the last abdominal segment.
Males are greenish brown, with 3 bluish green marks and white bands on the pronotum, hind part of the mesonotum and metanotum (cf similar male of Thunberg's stick insect Macynia labiata). Legs are green with brown base and apical band on all femora. Cerci whitish.
Males are greenish brown, with 3 bluish green marks and white bands on the pronotum, hind part of the mesonotum and metanotum (cf similar male of Thunberg's stick insect Macynia labiata). Legs are green with brown base and apical band on all femora. Cerci whitish.
Its foodplants inlcude Erica (also Erica aemula), the Australian tea tree, the mountain dahlia Liparia splendens (Fabaceae), gonnabos, yellowwood trees (Podocarpaceae), Rhus species and the exotic bramble Rubus fruticosus (Rosaceae). It is very widespread in the Cape and also reported from KZN. It can be found much of the year, but adults mainly found between September and January.
The rare stick insect is the Cape mountain stick insect, Clonaria capemontana. (Female 61-66 mm, male unknown.) The female is plain, dark brown with very short antennae, and its head is twice as long as broad. Male not known, may be plain or perhaps with a narrow black longitudinal stripe.
The type species of Clonaria prefers Acacia.
This insect appears to be extremely rare, and so far is only known from 3 females from
· Table Mountain (February 1892),
· Strandfontein (1950)
· Matroosberg, Ceres Div. (1917).
The type species of Clonaria prefers Acacia.
This insect appears to be extremely rare, and so far is only known from 3 females from
· Table Mountain (February 1892),
· Strandfontein (1950)
· Matroosberg, Ceres Div. (1917).
If you see any of these unusual stick insects, please contact Tony Rebelo at rebelo@sanbi.org.
iSpot it!
If you would like to have an insect, a plant, a bird, a mushroom or any living thing in your garden (or out) visit iSpot, join up, post your find, and experts in the various fields will endeavour to give you an identification.
iSpot it!
If you would like to have an insect, a plant, a bird, a mushroom or any living thing in your garden (or out) visit iSpot, join up, post your find, and experts in the various fields will endeavour to give you an identification.
