The Lord Howe Island stick insect is one of the most powerful examples of how close we can come to losing a species and how far we can go to bring it back.
Coastal waters near Lord Howe Island, the last refuge of Dryococelus australis before its rediscovery.
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Is the Lord Howe Island stick insect really back from extinction?
For most of the twentieth century scientists believed Dryococelus australis had vanished forever. After invasive rats reached Lord Howe Island in 1918 the species disappeared so rapidly that it was officially declared extinct. Museum specimens became the last physical trace of an insect that had once been common in the island’s forests.
But in 2001, everything changed. A small team of researchers scaled the near-impossible cliffs of Ball’s Pyramid, a remote volcanic spire rising out of the Tasman Sea. On a narrow ledge beneath a shrub they found a few dozen large, glossy, unmistakably living specimens of the species thought lost for nearly a century.
Habitat and Biology
Unlike most slender stick insects, Dryococelus australis is thick-bodied and almost armored. Adults reach up to 12 centimeters, making them one of the largest flightless insects in the world. They are gentle, nocturnal, and often rest in bonded pairs—a behavior rarely seen in insects.
Females lay seedlike eggs in soil and the nymphs take months to mature. Slow reproduction is one reason the species was so vulnerable to predators. Before the arrival of rats Lord Howe Island had no mammals, so the insects evolved without needing fast defenses or skyward escape.
Fast facts
- Scientific name: Dryococelus australis
- Nickname: Tree lobster
- Size: Up to 12 cm
- Behavior: Nocturnal, pair bonding
- Natural habitat: Lord Howe Island
How the species disappeared
When black rats arrived on Lord Howe Island in 1918 they quickly consumed eggs, juveniles, and adults of the stick insect. Within just a few years the entire species vanished from its native forests. By the 1930s it was declared extinct and written into textbooks as a tragic example of how invasive species can collapse island ecosystems.
The shocking rediscovery on Ball’s Pyramid
Ball’s Pyramid is a 1,844 foot volcanic sea stack located 23 kilometers from Lord Howe Island. Its surface is so steep and unforgiving that scientists never expected a large terrestrial insect could survive there. Yet that is exactly where a tiny population of stick insects persisted for eight decades.
When researchers found them in 2001, only about 24 individuals remained. The discovery became an instant landmark moment in conservation biology.
Captive breeding success
After the rediscovery two breeding pairs were carefully collected. At Melbourne Zoo keepers designed climate-controlled enclosures that mimicked the harsh but stable conditions of Ball’s Pyramid. The insects began to reproduce and their population grew from a handful to hundreds, then thousands.
Returning home to Lord Howe Island
None of this matters unless the species can safely return to its native ecosystem. After decades of planning the Lord Howe Island Rodent Eradication Project successfully removed invasive rats, opening the door to reintroduction.
Conservation scientists are now testing pre-release enclosures on the island to ensure the insect can survive natural climate variation. Once results are stable the species may finally return home for the first time in more than a century.
Myths and Facts
Myth: The species is still extinct.
Fact: Thousands now live in conservation programs worldwide.
Myth: The Ball’s Pyramid insects were a different species.
Fact: Genetic testing confirmed they are the same species historically found on Lord Howe Island.
Myth: The insect is aggressive.
Fact: It is gentle, slow moving, and easily handled by keepers.
From crisis to conservation
The story of Dryococelus australis shows that even species pushed to the edge can be brought back when people commit to restoration. The survival of this insect is a testament to researchers, volunteers, and environmental stewards who refused to let extinction have the final say.