New Species Alert: A Stick Insect So Big It Looks Like a Fallen Branch (Video)

Written By Eelemarni Close-Brown

“You don’t find something this big and this strange every day… especially not in treetop rainforests where almost nobody looks.”

Deep in the cloud-kissed canopy of Far North Queensland’s ancient rainforests, researchers have uncovered a jaw-dropping surprise: a brand-new species of stick insect, so large and heavy that it’s now being called Australia’s heaviest insect. Meet Acrophylla alta, a monster among bugs is longer than your forearm and nearly as heavy as a golf ball.

This discovery is not just record-breaking in size; it’s also a wake-up call about how little we know of our planet’s treetop biodiversity.

📍 Found Where Humans Rarely Look: The Cloud Forests of Queensland

This prehistoric-looking insect was discovered in high-altitude rainforest canopies more than 900 meters above sea level, specifically in the Atherton Tablelands, a mountainous region in northern Queensland. The region forms part of Australia’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, a globally significant biodiversity hotspot.

“We don’t typically find insects this large in modern Australia. It’s like a throwback to ancient ecosystems,” said Dr. James Camerson, a tropical ecologist involved in the fieldwork.

The insect was originally brought to scientists’ attention thanks to a photo posted on social media by a curious local. That online post led researchers from James Cook University (JCU) and the Queensland Museum on a mission to verify the creature’s identity.

🦴 A Bug That Breaks Records: Size, Weight, and Mystery

Unlike most stick insects, which camouflage themselves in branches and leaves with relatively delicate frames, Acrophylla alta boasts both impressive length and mass. Here’s what makes it a record-breaking species:

Feature Measurement

Length (female): ~40 cm (15.7 inches)

Weight: ~44 grams (1.55 ounces)

Known Specimens: 2 females (males not yet found)

Habitat: High-altitude rainforest canopy

Discovery Year: 2025

“It’s likely heavier than any other insect previously documented in Australia,” said Professor Mike Kearney, an entomologist at the University of Melbourne.

Insect enthusiasts may recall the giant wood moth (Endoxyla cinereus) or the burrowing cockroach, but neither rivals the sheer weight-to-length ratio of A. alta.

🥚 Cracking the Case: How Scientists Confirmed a New Species

The confirmation of Acrophylla alta as a distinct new species came not from DNA sequencing, but from a far simpler clue: its eggs.

The eggs of A. alta had a completely unique morphology compared to other known species in the Acrophylla genus. This egg-based identification was backed by researchers from the Zootaxa journal, where the species was formally described.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

“You’d think we’d know what’s living in our backyards by now, but the canopy is still a final frontier,” said Dr. Kat Walden, lead entomologist on the expedition.

🧬 Why So Big? Evolutionary Clues from the Cloud Forest

Scientists believe that Acrophylla alta’s massive size is not an accident, but a direct adaptation to its chilly, moist environment. High in the rainforest canopy, the weather is significantly cooler than on the ground. Larger body mass helps regulate temperature and moisture loss a phenomenon known as Bergmann’s Rule, which suggests that animals in colder climates tend to grow larger.

“Its size may also protect it from avian predators,” said Walden. “Camouflage can only take you so far.”

The creature’s invisibility to science until now may also be due to its arboreal lifestyle. The species doesn’t typically come down to the ground but they’re only found when a strong storm or curious bird dislodges them.

🧑‍🔬 Males Still Missing: The Mystery Continues

Only female specimens of A. alta have been found so far. And while this might seem like an odd gap, it’s actually quite common in insect research. In many species, males can be much smaller, harder to find, or have entirely different appearances from females.

“Until we find a male, we can’t fully understand the reproductive behavior or even complete the taxonomy,” said Dr. Cameron.

This missing puzzle piece has only added to the growing excitement among the entomology community.

🌳 The Bigger Picture: Biodiversity on the Brink

Discoveries like Acrophylla alta aren’t just cool they’re critically important.

According to the Queensland Museum, up to 70% of Australia’s insect species remain undocumented. The fact that a creature this large has gone unnoticed until 2025 suggests countless smaller species may be vanishing before we even know they exist.

Conservationists are urging governments and institutions to invest in long-term ecological research, particularly in forest canopies and other hard-to-reach habitats. These ecosystems are not only underexplored but are increasingly threatened by logging, invasive species, and climate change.

“You can’t protect what you don’t know exists,” said Walden.

📚 Final Thoughts: The Hidden World Above Us

In the race to explore deep oceans and distant planets, we often forget that Earth still holds mysteries in its canopies, caves, and cloud forests. The discovery of Acrophylla alta proves that even today, some of nature’s giants are hiding in plain sight just out of reach, and just beyond our expectations.

Let this be a reminder: the planet is far more vast, wild, and wonderful than we dare to imagine. All we need is the curiosity and the courage to climb a little higher.