Not real fairies but a strikingly beautiful stick-insect – and if you’ve never considered these insects to be attractive then just look at these photos!
This description of the Hasenpusch Family Stick-insect (Parapodacanthus hasenpuschorum) really paints the picture. From the book written by Paul Brock and Jack Hasenpusch “On several occasions visitors to the rainforest at Garradunga have reluctantly reported seeing ‘fairies with pink wings’ flying overhead between the trees..”
And recently we have been lucky enough to see a female on two separate occasions. Neither Allen nor I have observed this species prior to having a copy of the aforementioned book and I’m sure that we would remember.
The females are a vivid, glossy green with bright pink/cerise wings – we have not yet seen a male of this species but they also have pink wings and the pink spiny tubercules. Both males and females can fly well; certainly the females we have seen could and they really do look like pink-winged fairies.
In order to be able to photograph the wings Allen gently held the insect – she didn’t emit any unpleasant odour which apparently they can do when handled so I don’t think she was too stressed. I just took a couple of quick photos and then he let her go and she took off fast and high into a nearby tree.
And while I’ve been writing this post yet another species of stick-insect has appeared Continue reading
Allen
Barbara
