Readers may be familiar with the so-called 'Lord Howe Island Stick Insect', which was recently rediscovered after having been thought extinct for many years. NPR has published a very interesting article on the rediscovery.
Lord Howe Island Stick Insect (Dryococelus Australis) (image courtesy of Wikipedia)
Some eggs of this extremely rare insect were taken back to Australia to establish a captive breeding program. Here's video footage of one of the eggs hatching. It may not be very interesting to some readers, but when you think that this is a life form that's clinging to existence by its figurative fingernails (the population in the wild is only a little over a score), it takes on new importance. It's also one seriously weird-looking creature!
I can't help but smile, and wonder what Darwin would make of that . . .
Peter
Here's the cute part.
ReplyDeleteThis is the only insect in the world in which adult males and females mate for life and sleep next to each other. Literally the only such thing as "married" insects.
That's enough to forgive a whole lotta ugly.
:)
A brand new life is a beautiful thing, no matter what species.
ReplyDeleteYeah, good news, and hopefully they CAN recover...
ReplyDelete