Sticks on fire
Not all stick insects are muted shades of green or brown, but bright colours signal danger, as shown by the case of the Peruvian fern stick insect. Ed Baker reports.
A pair of Peruvian fern insects, with the smaller male here being bright red.
Photograph © Drägüs.
The Peruvian fern stick insect (Oreophoetes peruana) is a rare example of a truly colourful stick insect. The males are a bright red with black patches, while the slightly larger females, averaging about 8cm (just over 3in) long, have red, yellow or orange stripes and knees contrasting boldly with their black body. This species is found in the humid tropical forests of Peru and Ecuador, and thrives under similar vivarium conditions.