Australia is known for its exceptional biodiversity. The country separated from the supercontinent Gondwana nearly 135 million years ago, and completed its separation from Antarctica over the last 40 ...

A long-standing debate among evolutionary scientists goes something like this: Does evolution happen in a predictable pattern or does it depend on chance events and contingency? That is, if you could ...

Two new frog species have recently been discovered on the small, boulder-studded Dauan Island off Queensland. The frogs have been named for their granite boulder habitat: Choerophyrne koeypad (“rocky ...

Considered extinct for over 80 years, a chance find on a sea stack where little survives has sparked hope for the future of the Lord Howe Island stick insect. When the SS Makambo ran aground on the ...

The Lord Howe Island stick insect vanished from its home, but an effort at zoos in San Diego and Melbourne highlights the possibilities and challenges of conserving invertebrate animals. Lord Howe ...

Insects have long rivaled the best human illusionists, creating magic right before our eyes. However, one particular bug stands out from the rest, not only in size but in its ability to blend ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. The Lord Howe stick insect (Dryococelus australis) was ...

Researchers have found that stick insects keep evolving the same 20 body plans, from the "tree lobster'" to the "bark hugger" and the "large-headed stick." When you purchase through links on our site, ...

Stick bugs are a fascinating insect variety. They have uniquely camouflaged bodies that make them fun models in science education. But their eating habits can devastate trees and damage forests. This ...

After conservation efforts that lasted for more than a decade, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is finally bringing the critically endangered Lord Howe Island stick insects to the forefront.

Peppermint stick insect packs a peppermint-scented blast powerful enough to fend off hungry predator The peppermint stick insect packs a peppermint-scented blast powerful enough to fend off hungry ...