stick insects in the wild your sightings are welcome

[lizard orchid]

Dear All,
Since 2002 I have been co-operating with Malcolm Lee the National recorder for stick insects gathering records and checking localities. Most are found in the south west of the UK but records are welcome even from the well known areas of the south west. I am at this years Birdfair on the Buglife stand doing a piece on the naturalised stick insects of the UK with some live examples to show people.
Adults can be found from now onwards up into November, the autumn period being an excellent time to search. Bramble is a good foodplant to check and the best areas to search are areas of human habitation such as towns and villages. I always have some paperwork with me on the subject especially when poking around bushes in a street but many people have been very helpful that I come into contact with when recording. A number of the stick insect species are New Zealand but a few are European including Bacillus rossius that I found new for the Isles of Scilly on Tresco in 2002 and was still present I was told last year.
The Indian stick insect that we all kept on privet sometime in our lives has also been recorded in the wild from the Isles of Scilly recently.
Happy hunting everyone and please do send in your updated records to Malcolm Lee.

Brian Laney, Northamptonshire.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Since talking to you at the Buglife Conference in London earlier this year I've been keeping an eye out but alas nothing so far. Will you be on the stand on Sunday?

[2dogs2000]

This was found in 2007 and I am assuming it was an abandoned pet. It was found in a local pocket park in Northamptonshire.




Can you confirm it is Aretaon Asperrimus?

[lizard orchid]

Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo

Since talking to you at the Buglife Conference in London earlier this year I've been keeping an eye out but alas nothing so far. Will you be on the stand on Sunday?

Yes, hope to be but trying to get hold of Plantlife as would like to help them out at the Birdfair on the sunday, so I will be at either one.

[lizard orchid]

Originally Posted by 2dogs2000

This was found in 2007 and I am assuming it was an abandoned pet. It was found in a local pocket park in Northamptonshire.




Can you confirm it is Aretaon Asperrimus?

Thanks for this interesting record. I am not sure of the species myself. As you mentioned most likely a discarded pet. Could you email and send picture to Malcolm Lee. He will be interested in this and might be able to confirm species. If not he usually consults with Paul Brock another expert and I am sure between them you will get an answer. Again many thanks.