Spiny Leaf Insect

The Spiny leaf insect is a master of disguise, perfectly mimicking a dry, curled-up leaf with its knobbly legs, jagged edges, and leaf-vein-like patterns. Native to the rainforests and woodlands of eastern Australia, it uses this remarkable camouflage to hide from predators such as birds and reptiles. Females are much larger than males, growing up to 20 cm in length, and they’re wingless, while males are smaller and can fly.

These insects are slow-moving and rely entirely on their appearance for survival. They often sway gently while perched, imitating the motion of a leaf blowing in the breeze. Their diet includes eucalyptus and blackberry leaves, and they are primarily nocturnal, feeding at night and remaining still and hidden during the day. Females are capable of parthenogenesis, or reproducing without mating, resulting in all-female offspring unless males are present.

Spiny leaf insects lay eggs that resemble plant seeds, which fall to the ground and remain dormant for several months before hatching. Interestingly, ants often collect these eggs and store them in their nests, inadvertently protecting them from predators. When they hatch, the young insects resemble ants and go unnoticed as they make their way up into the vegetation to begin their life.

When threatened, female spiny leaf insects will curl their abdomen over their heads in a scorpion-like posture to scare off predators, even though they are completely harmless.