【Rare Seven-Section Specimen】Peppermint Stick Insect, Leaf Insect, Stick Insect, Mantis

Scientific Name: Megacrania spina

Common Name: Peppermint Stick Insect

Megacrania is a genus belonging to the subfamily Megacraniinae of the Phasmatodea. These stick insects are often called peppermint stick insects due to the distinctive smell of their defensive spray and their cylindrical, twig-like bodies.

These unusual insects are known for their aposematic coloration and potent chemical defense mechanism. This mechanism involves the ejection of an irritating liquid with a peppermint-like scent from a pair of scent glands on the prothorax when threatened. This liquid is irritating or painful upon inhalation or absorption through mucous membranes, serving as an effective deterrent against many arthropod, reptile, and avian predators.

Please note that we cannot offer a guarantee against degradation due to shipping.
We will ship the specimen pictured, from Mount Alfak, West Papua, Indonesia. It was collected in February 2022.

This defensive spray stick insect has a pleasant scent to humans. Keeping them requires food like Adan leaves, and due to feeding challenges, it's generally not practical to keep them unless you live in Okinawa. Therefore, we recommend them as specimens.