Malagasy Blue Stick Insect Achrioptera fallax/manga

The Malagasy Blue Stick Insect is native to dry forests of Madagascar. The male of three recently discovered Achrioptera species is most unusual for stick insects in turning bright metallic blue with red spines on the leg on maturity. Blue males shown above are species A. manga.

The female is like a typical stick insect: brown, camouflaged and resembling a twig. She has spikes on the thorax and grows to 20cm long. Females and males in the row above are species A. fallax.

Possibly, since he has to move about to find a female, the bright colour alerts predators that he may be toxic like brightly-coloured frogs. Males reach 13cm long.

Both male and female have small wings but cannot fly. The wings are used to startle predators both by sight and sound. They eat leaves.