Found in the middle of nowhere off the coast of Australia is a long thought to be lost
insect.
Found within the Lord Howe Island Group are a group of islands mainly one large one which
encompasses some amazing views and an epic remote hiking trail to these 2 summits.
Around the main island are smaller islands including this iconic one called the ball’s
pyramid.
This mountain emerging from the ocean’s surface towers 1807 feet or 551 meters into
the air but this isn’t some random ocean spire Ball’s Pyramid was apart of a continent
called Zealandia.
Zealandia today is mostly underwater aside from New Zealand and a handful of these islands.
6% of it to be exact is what’s left above water but the continental crust below the
water that makes up Zealandia is 1 mile or 1.6 km higher than the surrounding floor of
the ocean.
Why does this matter, well as Zealandia was covered in water about 80 million years ago
only the highest peaks remained.
Within these peaks more specifically Ball’s Pyramid is one of the surviving above-ground
remnants that was thought to be extinct.
Not seen and thought to be extinct for over 70 years the Lord Howe Island stick insect
or Dryococelus australis has survived in this mountainous terrain.
Sometimes called land lobsters or walking sausages these 6 inch long insects once inhabited
Lord Howe Island as well but were run to extinction on that island.
It’s thought that a supply ship, the SS Makambo a steamship built in Scotland, ran
aground on the island in 1918 came with black rats that ate all the stick insects.
Prior to this these insects were also used as fishing bait which didn’t help their
numbers as well.
Climbers have found dead specimens of this insect but never any live ones.
It is thought these wingless insects escaped the rampage of the black rats and found solitude
on Ball’s Pyramid.
Found in 2001 under a single bush, the Melaleuca shrub, was a colony of the Lord Howe Island
stick insects.
A small team ventured out to find them during the day but nothing but crickets were found
until they spotted large insect droppings.
Returning at night time when the Lord Howe Island stick insect is active they found an
active alive colony of them.
Climbing journies up the side of this mountain have numerous points where they can potentially
be found.
Today is it believed that 27 stick insects live on the island which was essentially their
final stronghold until humans got involved.
Some of these insects have been brought back to captivity where they are being bred to
keep them from going extinct.
Unable to fly these bugs can run really fast.
They have unusual habits for insects they will form a bond in pairs.
Females lay eggs while hanging from branches, hatching can take up to 9 months.
Their babies come out a bright green but eventually turn this dark blackish color.
One of the key aspects that has allowed this species to survive is the fact the females
don’t require the presence of males to reproduce, so even with small numbers of them they can
repopulate.
2 breeding pairs were selected, one destined for a private breeder in Sydney and the other
going to the Melbourne Zoo.
After initial difficulties, the Melbourne Zoo figured it out and by 2006 they had bred
50 stick insects.
Fast forward to 2012 the Melbourne Zoo has bred 9000 of these stick insects with and
additional 20,000 eggs.
Many of these bugs will be going to Lord Howe Island, where they once called home but first
a mass rat eradication of over 360,000 rats needs to be dealt with.
A 7.3 million dollar operating involving poisoned cereal pellets dropped by helicopters in the
forested areas and bait stations set up all over the island.
The rats have already wiped out 5 species of endemic birds, 2 plants and 13 insects
which is why such a big effort is underway to get rid of them.
For now, the stick insects will have to live at the Melbourne Zoo and on Ball’s Pyramid.
With all the species of creatures we have on the planet today, how many do you think
have been lost throughout time?
Do you think I should visit Lord Howe Island, maybe I can find some rare fruits there?
Share your thoughts, and until the next one have a good one.