The female Goliath Stick insect can grow up to 8 inches long. Yet, they are only the second largest stick insect in Australia. Their coloration provides natural camouflage and they are quite hard to spot in the wild. Stick insects, or phasmids, number around 3,000 in the world. Their favorite food is typically eucalyptus and acacia. While most female phasmids have wings, they cannot fly.
This black and white goliath stick insect drawing dates back to 1890, when it appeared in a large book on collecting insects. The insect is shown with it’s wings extended; at rest, the wings are folded along the insect’s back making it look more stick-like.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
