"Though mint may remind us of a relaxing cup of herbal tea, to predators, it's a noxious smell and irritating chemical. If an animal gets hit in the eyes, mouth, or antennae, it'll burn or disorient them. This defense is so critical to their survival that newly hatched Peppermint sticks - called nymphs - are able to spray immediately, before they even take their first bite of food. That means their mothers transfer the defensive chemicals into each egg."
"Like most stick insects, its first line of defense is its very specific disguise. Wild peppermint stick insects live, feed and breed on Pandanus plants. The plant and insect have evolved together over millions of years. More than just food, the plants give them what they need to make actinidine, the active ingredient in their defensive spray. You'll find them in the Daintree Rainforest in Northeastern Australia - the oldest tropical rainforest in the world."
Peppermint stick insects deploy a peppermint-scented chemical spray containing actinidine that can burn or disorient predators' eyes, mouths, or antennae. Mothers provision eggs with defensive chemicals so newly hatched nymphs can spray immediately. Camouflage as sticks provides an initial defense while the insects live, feed, and breed on Pandanus plants that supply precursors for actinidine. Populations inhabit the Daintree Rainforest in Northeastern Australia. Green tree ants pose a significant threat and engage in chemical warfare using formic acid, while the stick insect's minty spray overloads ant olfaction; juveniles can regrow lost legs during subsequent molts.
Read at Kqed
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]