Vietnamese Walking Sticks (Baculum extradentatum)
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Vietnamese Walking Sticks are part of the order Phasmatodea, which comes from the Latin word “phasma.” This word means, “ghost” and describes the remarkable ability of these insects to hide unseen by their predators. The Vietnamese Walking Stick’s ability to camouflage is its best defense against predators. If they encounter a predator, walking sticks extend their front legs straight out past their heads and remain completely motionless to help them blend in with the branch they are standing on.
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DESCRIPTION: Vietnamese Walking Sticks are approximately 4-5 inches in length. They are brown or green in color. They have long thin bodies with six legs and two small antennae on the head. The front two legs are used as “feelers” and are often held in front of the body. Their heads are elongated and oval shaped with thread-like antennae. Their chewing mouthparts are specially adapted for eating plant material. Along its thorax are a number of small pointed bumps.
Vietnamese Walking Sticks do not have wings. Due to specialized structures on their feet, they can climb straight up vertical surfaces.
To avoid being seen, walking sticks often feed at night and remain completely motionless all day.
Walking sticks are arboreal, spending the great majority of their lives in trees. Trees provide food for these insects and also serve as their shelter.
Young Vietnamese Walking Sticks are able to regenerate legs that have come off or that have been damaged, but adults cannot.
RANGE: Vietnamese Walking Sticks insects are native to Asia, particularly Vietnam.
HABITAT: As arboreal insects, meaning they spend the majority of their lives in trees they prefer tropical forests.
DIET: Herbivore – leaves, plant material
FAMILY LIFE: Vietnamese Walking Sticks reproduce both sexually and asexually (meaning that they do not need a mate to reproduce). This makes males very rare in the species. The female drops hundreds of eggs onto the forest floor and leaves them unattended. The eggs hatch in 2 to 6 months. Eggs produced via mating hatch sooner than eggs produced by asexual reproduction. The eggs of this species are mottled with black and white and capped with black. Nymphs look nearly identical to the adults except in size. They molt about 6 times before they become adults. At 3 months of age they reach adult size and are able to reproduce.
LIFE SPAN: In the wild: 6 months; in human care: 1 year
STATUS: IUCN – Not Listed.
These insects are not currently considered threatened but like all wild creatures they are affected by human development into the wild’s natural environment.
Natural predators include: birds, reptiles, rodents, spiders, and other insects.
Vietnamese Walking Sticks do not have wings. Due to specialized structures on their feet, they can climb straight up vertical surfaces.
To avoid being seen, walking sticks often feed at night and remain completely motionless all day.
Walking sticks are arboreal, spending the great majority of their lives in trees. Trees provide food for these insects and also serve as their shelter.
Young Vietnamese Walking Sticks are able to regenerate legs that have come off or that have been damaged, but adults cannot.
RANGE: Vietnamese Walking Sticks insects are native to Asia, particularly Vietnam.
HABITAT: As arboreal insects, meaning they spend the majority of their lives in trees they prefer tropical forests.
DIET: Herbivore – leaves, plant material
FAMILY LIFE: Vietnamese Walking Sticks reproduce both sexually and asexually (meaning that they do not need a mate to reproduce). This makes males very rare in the species. The female drops hundreds of eggs onto the forest floor and leaves them unattended. The eggs hatch in 2 to 6 months. Eggs produced via mating hatch sooner than eggs produced by asexual reproduction. The eggs of this species are mottled with black and white and capped with black. Nymphs look nearly identical to the adults except in size. They molt about 6 times before they become adults. At 3 months of age they reach adult size and are able to reproduce.
LIFE SPAN: In the wild: 6 months; in human care: 1 year
STATUS: IUCN – Not Listed.
These insects are not currently considered threatened but like all wild creatures they are affected by human development into the wild’s natural environment.
Natural predators include: birds, reptiles, rodents, spiders, and other insects.
