| Uniramia |
| --Centipedes |
| --Hexapoda 1 (insects) |
| --Hexapoda 2 (insects) |
| --Insect orders |
| ----Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths) |
| ----Ephemeroptera (mayflies) |
| ----Hemiptera (bugs, cicadas) |
| ----Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps & saw flies) |
| ------Bumblebees |
| ----Coleoptera (beetles) |
| ----Dictyoptera (mantids, cockroaches) |
| ----Diptera (true flies) |
| ----Neuroptera (lacewings, ant lions) |
| ----Orthoptera (crickets, locusts) |
| ----Thysanura (bristletails, silver fish) |
| ----Strepsiptera (stylops) |
| ----Thysanoptera (thrips) |
| ----Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies) |
| ----Trichoptera (caddis flies) |
| ----Siphonaptera (fleas) |
| ----Isoptera (termites) |
| ----Phasmida (stick & leaf insects) |
| ----Dermaptera (earwigs) |
| ----Anoplura/siphunculata (sucking lice) |
| ----Mallophaga (biting lice, bird lice) |
| ----Psocoptera (book lice) |
| ----Mecoptera (scorpion flies) |
| ----Collembola (springtail) |
| ----Embioptera (web spinners) |
| ----Plecoptera (stone flies) |
| ----Diplura (bristletails) |
| ----Protura |
| ----Zoraptera |
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| Fast
facts about Phasmida (stick and leaf insects) |
About 2500 species world wide; 5 species in southern Europe, 4 species have been introduced to southern Britain, probably on imported plants.
Camouflaged as twigs or leaves.
Many species are parthenogenesis (females can lay fertilised eggs without mating), and males are rare or unknown.
However some species who do mate can maintain intercourse for months!
Females are usually wingless, some males have wings.
Hemimetabolous.
Strong, biting mouthparts.
Feed mainly on plants.
Eggs can lie dormant for as long as three years before hatching.
Frequently nocturnal.
Popular as pets.
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Leaf insects. There are only about 30 species world wide. The body is flattened and leaf-like, sometimes complete with blotches. Some species resemble living leaves, and some resemble dead leaves. They vary in size from about 3 - 11 cm.
Stick insects. There are around 2450 species in the world, found mainly in warm regions on foliage and twigs. To increase their camouflage some even sway in the breeze. They range in size from 2.5 - 29 cm when fully grown, and are usually brown or green in colour. If they are seized by a predator they have the ability to shed a leg. This leg will gradually grow back a little at each successive moult. The eggs are seed- or flask- like with a little lid at one end.
Clonopsis gallica (below) is found in Europe.
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![[]](http://m3.moostik.net/img/?pseudo=bumblebeepages&cpt=IPhasmida&option=invisible)