​HELP SAVE THE LONG LOST PHASMID

D. australis is locally known as the “land lobster” this species was found all over Lord Howe Island. No live specimens of the Phasmid have been seen since the 1920s. Lea (1916) gives a brief account of its habits with very little known about its biology or ecology, describing it as nocturnal, spending the days in tree hollows, often those made by longicorn beetles, with up to 68 individuals in a single hollow. Large amounts of frass (“several bushels”) would develop beneath a single tree. Eggs and eggshells were found in the frass indicating that, D. australis like most Phasmids, release their eggs from above the ground? The eggs have not yet been described and there is no published account of a host food plant (Priddel et al 2003). HMS Supply first sighted Lord Howe Island on the 17th February 1788. The colony was established some 45 years later and in 1918 rats were accidentally introduced after the sinking of the Makambo. Within a very short time D. australis was eradicated. From the mid 60’s a number of climbers (David Roots (1965) & Dick Smith (1979)) to Balls found the remains of Phasmids which opened the gates to speculation that the Phasmid may have survived, even in such a remote and harsh environment. The vegetation is limited, and all attempts to find these creatures had failed.

The main objective of the our first survey (2001) was to find D. australis and then if a population existed obtain information on the following; Population size; Distribution; Threats to its survival and Vulnerability to disturbance. A search of Gannet Green resulted in finding no suitable vegetation, the survey team moved down approximately 50 metres, where searching through the leaf litter around and under a tee-tree, found several droppings and two eggs. This meant that the stick insect was here! Phasmids the world over usually feed at night, the only way to really know if it was there, was to search at night. The two most experienced climbers in the team, climbed the 100 metres at night up almost sheer cliffs, climbed up the escarpment and after a long and arduous night climb reached the desired point. Nicholas then yelled there's one, as Dean was looking at another one at the same time. After the odd 70 years the Lord Howe Island Phasmid was rediscovered. 

A second survey of the terrace where D. australis were found in February 2001 was surveyed again on the night of 26th March 2002. This 2nd survey, located a total of 24 live D. australis. All individuals were located on the outer foliage of Melaleuca howeana shrubs where they were apparently grazing on the new leaf tips. Twelve individuals were found on the same shrub where the three individuals were discovered the previous year. The other 12 individuals were dispersed among five nearby, smaller shrubs. All six shrubs occupied by D. australis were within an area of about 30 m by 6 m, and several contained the nests of Common Noddies. The extremely unstable nature of the scree made it hazardous to approach, consequently, not all individuals could be viewed close-up, and of the 24 D. australis seen, only 10 could be positively sexed—eight females and two males. These were the first males of this species to be recorded on Balls Pyramid. 

In 2003 two females and two males were removed from Balls Pyramid to establish a captive breeding program. One pair was taken to Melbourne Zoo and the second pair were taken by a private insect breeder (Insektus) where there are now 7 nymphs from 21 eggs laid by the original pair. The nymph’s range in size (February 04) from 6.5 to 8.5 cm they are healthy and come out each night to feed on the tea -tree. In February 2003, two females and two males were removed from the wild to set up breeding colonies, one pair in NSW under the care of Stephen Fellenberg (Insektus), the other at Melbourne Zoo.

Both pairs laid eggs, the NSW pair only living for approximately 6 weeks, but laying 21 eggs. From these 21 eggs, seven nymphs survived ranging in size from 6.5 to 8.5cm (February 2004).