MetaChat - On the porch this morning.....

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06 April 2011

On the porch this morning.....

post by: gomichild at: 16:55 | 34 comments

Size comparison with an Australian $5 note.

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by gomichild 06 April | 16:56

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek.

What is that?

posted by occhiblu 06 April | 17:06

Oh just a stick insect! Probably a female looking for a nesting spot. They don't sting or bite - just are big.

posted by gomichild 06 April | 17:07

He really looks like a stick! Good for him.

posted by amro 06 April | 17:58

wow, ausie money is really small. :D

posted by DarkForest 06 April | 19:07

That is crazy and cool. When I was a kid I loved playing with stick bugs -- much smaller stick bugs.

posted by LoriFLA 06 April | 19:40

WOw! I've never seen a stick bug. That thing is HUGE!

posted by chewatadistance 06 April | 19:55

I camped out in the Australian rainforest once. You guys have some REALLY REALLY LARGE BUGS.

posted by mykescipark 06 April | 20:04

I saw one up close when I visited. Love those!

posted by initapplette 06 April | 20:12

That is so not right. Bugs should look like bugs so I can easily avoid them.

posted by deborah 06 April | 20:52

Does it have a face? There's something cute about it. I kind of want to pet it.

posted by iconomy 06 April | 20:52

People elsewhere are freaking over spiders, this thing freaks me the hell out. The fact that you so calmly held money in front of it while someone snapped a picture is crazy, because it is clear that given half a chance, that thing would EAT YOUR HANDS OFF.

posted by msali 06 April | 20:58

I IZ A STIK

posted by lysdexic 06 April | 21:35

Stick bug still on porch - must be really comfy there I guess.

posted by gomichild 06 April | 22:59

Oh also I snapped the pic - those are my brothers hands. These guys really aren't scary - it's the spiders, snakes, crocs, sharks and jellyfish you gotta watch out for.

I should mention I live on the edge of a rainforest - don't usually get these guys right in the middle of the city. Although you do get bats...

posted by gomichild 06 April | 23:03

What did small human think of it? :-)

posted by brujita 07 April | 00:14

He shivered in the way only toddlers can.

posted by gomichild 07 April | 00:37

That bug should not be.

Somehow it looks like a cinnamon stick. I can imagine a jar of them at the coffee shop.

posted by fleacircus 07 April | 06:44

Our stick insects in the southeastern US are more like twig insects, by comparison.

posted by BoringPostcards 07 April | 06:49

I can't stop looking at that thing trying to figure out which end is front ways. If she's going to build a nest, shouldn't it be in a railroad car? Do they lay eggs? I can't imagine giving birth to a bunch of very long pointy things.

posted by chewatadistance 07 April | 07:36

I can just imagine it complaining about maneuvering problems.

"They put these fucking legs in the *middle* of our trunk so we're always bashing one end or the other into the dirt!"

"You can play seesaw again when I'm out of the shower, kids."

Mother Nature's such a card!

posted by chewatadistance 07 April | 07:39

Nature is weird. Australian nature doubly so.

posted by JoanArkham 07 April | 08:10

The front end is on the left hand side of the pic.

posted by gomichild 07 April | 08:28

OMG get rid of it. I don't want giant bugs anywhere near me, even if they don't bite or sting.

posted by rmless2 07 April | 08:35

I don't like bugs at all. But if it doesn't bite, sting, eat houses or pets, or make noises, and it Stays. Out. Of. My. House. then I can admire it's interesting weirdness. from afar.

posted by theora55 07 April | 10:29

Why does it only have four legs? I thought insects always had six legs.

posted by youngergirl44 07 April | 14:59

There are two more at the back

posted by gomichild 07 April | 15:40

?? Which end is the back ??

posted by youngergirl44 07 April | 16:12

Here is a close up of Sticky this morning in an easier to understand position.

≡ Click to see image ≡

See how it stretches it's legs forward to further disguise it's head?

posted by gomichild 07 April | 19:08

Also I had Sticky the wrong way around - it stretches the two front legs out.

posted by gomichild 07 April | 19:09

Awesome! I love stick insects. It's probably been a decade since I've seen one, and like BP, I think I'd have to say that ours more resemble small twigs. That's truly impressive.

It reminds me of praying mantises, which I think are related to stick insects. I haven't seen one of those in some time, either. Impressive animals.

posted by Miko 07 April | 22:34

It looks like it's got a fake bark pattern too. Pay no attention to the spindly grabby legs.

posted by fleacircus 08 April | 00:46

Wow. Let us know when the babies appear!

posted by chewatadistance 09 April | 18:48

The coloring on that thing is actually really gorgeous.

posted by mykescipark 27 April | 01:18

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