Vietnamese giant stick insect is one of the longest stick insects in the world, native to the forests of Vietnam. With its incredibly long, thin body, it looks just like a twig or branch — perfect camouflage to hide from predators. Vietnamese giant stick insect feed mainly on leaves and is entirely harmless to humans. Despite its size, it moves very slowly, swaying slightly as if blown by the wind, which helps it blend even more convincingly with the surrounding foliage.

Female stick insects lay tiny, hard-shelled eggs that resemble seeds, which drop to the forest floor. These eggs can take several months to hatch, and the young insects, called nymphs, look like miniature versions of the adults, ready to start their own life in the rainforest.

Our Vietnamese giant stick insect can be found in the Lowland Glasshouse.

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