These guys are nearly always brown but on occasion i find a green one. These guys get up to 10-15cm and are pretty awesome to watch.
These stick insects move in a really awkward way, it is suspected they move like this to appear as if they are a stick swaying in the breeze, this is used to avoid predators. That is also why they are brown and look like a stick, it is so they can blend into their environment and avoid predation.
If camouflage fails, don't worry that's not their only defence, if a predator gets too close, they spray a white or yellow milky substance at them, the smell of this goop is usually enough to get rid of them, Didn't work on me though, the one in the video tried to spray me when i was filming hehe.
These guys are vegetarians and wouldn't hurt a fly - literally! There are 21 different species in NZ that have been identified. The one i have recorded in the video is one of the more common species within NZ but still really cool.
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