Stick insects and leaf insects are herbivores - that is they eat plants. Phyllium giganteum is one of the largest species of leaf insects that is kept as a … The Phasmatodea (also known as Phasmida or Phasmatoptera) are an order of insects, whose members are variously known as stick insects (in Europe and Australasia), stick-bugs or walking sticks (in the United States and Canada), phasmids, ghost insects and leaf insects (generally the family Phylliidae). Spiny leaf insects can live for approximately 18 months. This means that leaf insects are rarely seen for sale in pet stores; instead it will normally be necessary to purchase directly from a breeder. Their preferred browse item is eucalyptus. Stick insects and leaf insects are herbivores - that is they eat plants. Found predominantly in the tropics and subtropics—although several species live in temperate regions—stick insects thrive in forests and grasslands, where they feed on leaves. Collectively, stick insects and leaf insects are often referred to as Phasmids. The insect needs to hang unimpeded beneath a leaf or branch to moult successfully . They can supply hiding places for all kinds of creatures, from millipedes to snakes. Spiny leaf stick insects are herbivores. Here are some types of pests you may find in piles of leaves: Spiders Leaf insects copy leaves with their round, flat bodies and dull green and brown colouration. Many species closely resemble leaves, grasses or twigs. How old can a stick insect become? Most of the over 3000 species of phasmids are stick insects, with only a few dozen leaf insect species. Bigger species live longer than small species. Many people keep them as pets because of them being able to survive for this long. The insects emerge while expanding their new (still soft) exosketon to achieve growth. Answer. While some stick insects females actually make an effort to hide their eggs—sticking them to leaves or bark or placing them in the soil—they typically drop eggs randomly on the forest floor, leaving the youngsters to whatever fate befalls them. In some countries, like Malaysia, collectors capture and make decorative displays of these colorful insects to sell to tourists, along with butterfly and beetle collections. Adult Spiny Leaf Insects may look like crumpled paper, dead gum leaves or strange origami, but disguise and camouflage is their first line of defence against predators. Many people keep them as pets because of them being able to survive for this long. Related Questions. This can take 10 minutes to half an hour. Leaf insects use camouflage to take on the appearance of a leaf.