This Rare Stick Insect Is Among the Last of Its Kind

This is the black beauty stick insect, a rare species only found in a tiny 12-acre area high in the mountains of northern Peru. Only discovered in 2005, not much is known about these insects, but they are believed to be most active at night when their deep black coloration keeps them hidden from predators. They are also armed with a gland at the rear of their heads which, when threatened, can spray a corrosive, strong-smelling substance. Because their natural habitat is so small, their survival is precarious-thankfully, captive breeding efforts may bring these insects back from the brink.
SUBSCRIBE: goo.gl/vR6Acb
This story is a part of our Planet Earth series. From mammals to insects and birds to reptiles, we share this great big world with all manner of creatures, large and small. Come with us to faraway places as we explore our great big planet and meet some of its wildest inhabitants.
Got a story idea for us? Shoot us an email at hey [at] GreatBigStory [dot] com
Follow us behind the scenes on Instagram: goo.gl/2KABeX
Make our acquaintance on Facebook: goo.gl/Vn0XIZ
Give us a shout on Twitter: goo.gl/sY1GLY
Come hang with us on Vimeo: goo.gl/T0OzjV
Visit our world directly: www.greatbigsto...

[@jaredbyrum3339]

* Flaps its tiny wings* “IM A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY!”

[@misspsychoticbeing1759]

Jared Byrum lmao I was thinking the same thing 😂

[@ao2415]

That eye tho.. This insect has seen some shit

[@nathanchocomint]

Rem is shit

[@alistergoh9744]

RemFTW rem sia shit and Emilia is the best girl

[@apvtethic8818]

RemFTW he has flashbacks of the war that have brought his species near to extinction

[@scottynguyen2183]

Hes having a vietnam flashback

[@vernzmarcobenitez2332]

RemFTW Yup.. the episode where Rem gets her head spun around and gets tortured. Maybe, he was in that cave..

[@jakeaguilargt]

Looks like a grasshopper and a scorpion fused together....... pretty cool

[@jacksonokane4176]

El /\/iño with snake eyes

[@jacksonokane4176]

weta and stick insect

[@itookabathlast4029]

Grasspion

[@FUDKOPOP]

El /\/iño grascros

[@apoorvyikes8063]

With wings too

[@BankruptGreek]

this bug's wings are the equivalent of T-Rex's hands.

[@six______]

Different Ouch

[@BankruptGreek]

I dont understand what you mean

[@thepaigefamily2850]

Lol

[@ChimpFromSpace]

Elytra are wing covers. Those cool looking leopard pattern things at the front of the wings.

[@thomasvic1761]

I own 8 of these, and I'm in love with them. They are so curious and adventurous, and they are very nice pets. Easy to sustain, and they can take quite a lot in term of temperatures. I received one of them (I got them from someone who also breeds them in captivity at a larger skill) and he missed two legs, but after 3 sheddings, they are almost completely regrown which I found very interesting. He went from two legs missing, to two little dangling feet on his side, to longer legs that he can finally use. I'm so glad he recovered :D I really recommend these as pets.

[@DrawinskyMoon]

Are they legal in the US?

[@chrism2809]

@@DrawinskyMoonthey are! They’re very easy to breed and doing so actually benefits them due to being and endangered species!

[@kirbygarcia3385]

It looks like a cross between a scorpion, grasshopper and a cricket and a little bit of stink bug

[@adibhakim9940]

lakamokolaka let's see.Scontpet??

[@nephilaedulis2073]

It looks nothing like a stink bug

[@sandtrap175]

Nephila Edulis well, it sprays like one.

[@binh3308]

kirby garcia you lied

[@nephilaedulis2073]

Zachary Ricks there's about a million bugs that spray

[@darkhayou]

Kamen Rider Black..

[@AymanZett]

darkhayou HENSHIN !!!

[@iliveinsideyourhouse1367]

Looks more like kamen rider black rx

[@bushidotestu1997]

If the eyes were red and the and it’s attena were moved up a bit higher

[@BluishDagger]

HAHAHA

[@breakingbasha]

I am the child of the sun! Kamen Rider! Black! RX!

[@sorrowfulsatchel679]

Beautiful thing… hopefully we can restore its population

[@jeremymerriman8987]

Maybe you should breed with it. You know, do your part as a tree hugger and all... 😁

[@DrOctatonic]

@@jeremymerriman8987 if you think you’re a loser, realize this guy got triggered by a basic comment about restoring an insect’s population.

[@nevohyams]

Truly a beauty, I can't stop looking at those wings

[@i-tufo8269]

Hypnotic eyes

[@coltonsimmons4633]

One of the most frightening things I’ve ever seen

[@lukeGGlee]

Colton Simmons Seriously

[@rice8526]

the eyes is creepy to me, can't stand it, didn't finish the video ﹌﹏﹌ ﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍﺍ

[@uncrownedking5106]

looks like ONE PUNCH MAN eyes when he's serious

[@vespovich]

Rice no it's not. Its cute. Not being sarcastic.

[@stickmation656]

what did it do to youa.

[@guidoferri8683]

It's not a stick insect, is a s *T H I C C* insect

[@ragingviper1389]

Guido Ferri Thiccsect

[@watchmojoe]

HELLA CURVES

[@hawhawdecarabaw]

yeaaah booi

[@JukesMcGee]

Well it is black.

[@revimfadli4666]

*S C H T H I C C I N S E C T*

[@VaderDex]

Me: Combination of a scorpion cricket or grass hopper and a butterfly who breed this. Creator: nature

[@blueblade455]

Victor Diaz Damn nature, you scary!

[@thepaigefamily2850]

Ikr

[@mastergunzz]

Relocate about a thousand of them to south Florida and watch their population take off like a rocket.

[@MrKapo74]

They are super easy to have as pets. Curious little bugs. All it takes is a simple terrarium, or a large jar and some fresh privet branches.

[@MrTigerlore]

I can’t believe this entire insect species exists on only 12-acres of land. You could damn it to extinction with a lawnmower and a six-pack of beer.

[@ceasefire2825]

Sounds like a good day with the boys

[@misterpotato427]

​@@ceasefire2825Casual insect genocide

[@BankruptGreek]

with those wings I bet it was bullied by the other flying bugs. That's probably what drove it close to extinction.

[@tmarie2u279]

😆 lol!

[@thepaigefamily2850]

Lol

[@rye_breadt6459]

It's really pretty looking

[@vernzmarcobenitez2332]

Rye_Bread T Well, no shit ,Sherlock..

[@rye_breadt6459]

Vernz Marco Benitez um...ok I was just saying what I thought sorry Watson

[@cosmodewit]

Rye_Bread T you'll have to forgive Watson, he slept on the couch after he and Mary had a fight, so he may be a bit cranky.

[@rye_breadt6459]

CosmoHolmes it's all right chum

[@laurenrousell8117]

Vernz Marco Benitez Actually that’s not Sherlock, that’s rye bread.

[@evamz9584]

Bug collectors round the world probably drooling at the thought of getting their hands on one of these😄 pretty bad ass bug👌

[@evamz9584]

@Mel Hawk lolll how much??

[@Rusmix]

what breed of dog is that?

[@SnowNgEsabind]

Gorgeous. I love the colors of the wings. I would love to see it in action.

[@yirenh]

*dang.*

[@picklerick3444]

that's a lot os penises

[@MuayThaipan]

I actually had a colony of about 9 of these guys (Peruphasma). My friend has that group now they reproduce almost weekly in captivity but can be tricky to hatch out. I had no idea they had such a restricted locality in nature. Thanks for this video, I'll make sure we continue to breed this species so that there's no need to remove anymore from the wild. You should make a vid of the males defense display. Again awesome video keep up the good work.

[@sirmeowthelibrarycat]

This is an example of the type of work undertaken by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, founded by the late Gerald Durrell and based on the island of Jersey one of the Channel Islands off the coast of France. The emblem of the Trust is the Dodo, and it offers a range of environmental and zoological education for naturalists from island communities under threat as well as those inland examples. One of these is the volcano rabbit of Mexico which lives in very restricted habitats. Another is the Mauritius pink pigeon from that island nation.

[@RK-zf4jw]

0:00 *''black beauty stick insect''? that thing makes a blobfish look like a princess.*

[@RK-zf4jw]

HAHHAHAHAHAA 😂😂😂 DEAD

[@jivejunior8753]

It's beautiful in the way a robot is beautiful or an ancient old tree, not like a princess.

[@VaderDex]

This looks like a Pokemon dibs on making a fakemon I already made it

[@Saturn.argo.]

Victor Diaz sHOW IT! This would be a lit edgy dunsparce evo at least! (But would be a pretty awesome Pokémon on your own)

[@p.mrtynjy]

"I already made it" like really fast in the same sentence

[@adamtruelove9684]

Thanks, now I want like 10 of them.

[@Aztecathletics]

No lies...his close ups freak me out...but I can't stop looking🙈 Nature knows how to make you look😳

[@pedroyudikitamura7165]

It's gorgeous 💜

[@bugtalk84]

That's one really cool insect, I love those golden eyes and tiny red wings.

[@YesItsBoi]

*It is a BEAUTY!!*

[@iprainwater7461]

And it's the 7th most horrifying thing ive ever seen.

[@-zephyressence-2018]

Mr. Hexalia what are the other 6?

[@tshapedl]

- Shooting Starlight - mirrors

[@dannyr1520]

Mr. Hexalia Whats the 1st?

[@MFxKuro]

1.life 2.bank account 3.relationship 4.bitcoin keeps dropping 5.ajit pai smiling 6.logan paul fanbase 7.this

[@mislavgrosinic2999]

No its beautifull and uniqe

[@Disanium]

I CHOOSE YOU GRASSPIO!!! Use flutter attack! Pikachu: is confused as f@*! The winner is... bugs life... scorpion... grass hopper stick thingy with tiny wings... h]

[@nlhernandez39]

Enginegamer that u Rachel?

[@kali888]

Too much fantasy

[@maumee22]

I actually worked with this species at an internship I had!

[@toasterstrooder8628]

Nature never ceases to surprise its viewers.

[@035gogmofo6]

I Love the Beautiful Wings✌️

[@zelyaine3563]

It looks fantastic! What a creature - thanks so much for sharing.

[@OmegaExt]

Get stick bugged lol

[@fegodev]

No matter what they talk about, the Great Big Story has the most beautiful videos.

[@oppowerpuff6132]

I have a colony of 40+ of these with 30 eggs found so far. One or two hatch each day. 😃

[@phantasmalphasmidzoo8280]

Lucky

[@Pro1er]

You guys have some of the best videos on KZbin. Thank You!

[@soonny002]

Lol. The wings are so cute.

[@ender_rageon1025]

I thought the thumbnail was a robotic insect

[@Iambrian-bn7vu]

Ender_RageON 102 me too

[@blazeddaynapper5819]

These lived in honeysuckle at a house in Fresno California I lived in from around 1980 to about 1994. I looked at the house on google maps and seen the honeysuckle is gone. At the time no one knew what they were but eventually they were identified. It is thought they came over on pepper trees, honey suckle and other plants cultivated in Peru for export. A lot of Peruvian pepper trees are still here. I haven't found any of these in the past handful of years looking in honeysuckle and Peruvian pepper trees. I have a handful of honeysuckles growing in my backyard I planted a few years ago. If I ever find the insects again I plan to move them to my backyard

[@mmmadame]

i saw this beauty at the zoo in berlin

[@user-bt3hy3bi7w]

I'm from Peru and I didn't even know that existed. People don't really care about wildlife here, and it's so sad because we have so much of it.

[@tyshiddejuremanbey1313]

Just simply Beatiful!!!

[@shabut]

We barely know anything about them but we know its among the last of its kind. Okay.

[@greatgianluca8114]

We have onw

[@faroshscale]

Strangely charming. I think it's the eyes.

[@helenTW]

I've seen some in the local pet store, I was gonna buy it until the cashier said it can run really fast and escape while you clean its enclosure. Yikes. I freaked out and got prickly ones instead

[@CN-kf8xj]

In the wild there rare but in captivaty there really common people keep them as pets!

[@gooseteamsix5894]

Glad to see humans helping and not killing of species even if it is just a bug. Can we help the polar bears now?

[@jivejunior8753]

What an interesting creature. If dentist offices had these things in terrariums instead of fish aquariums.... that'd be great.

[@raynet3557]

NOPE

[@Juvelqairth]

Aye

[@nigelcastillo8241]

Mega nope

[@adamn7409]

Yes

[@admiralcat3809]

It's wings are beautiful!

[@Aarongrubbworm]

Cool colors...especially for a.stick

[@thecaptain4630]

I think dunsparce finally got an evolution.

[@mislavgrosinic2999]

Oooohh so beautifull!! Adn so unique!!!

[@gamophyte]

Wow, normally I don't really care for insects but this was really beautiful

[@detonationlurks]

What a gorgeous bug

[@amaulana090]

Nice wings

[@TheMotherofBirds]

😍😍😍😍😍😍 wow!!! So happy they saved that species from being extinct ❤❤❤❤❤

[@ALLa3eb_AL3arabe]

إن هذه الحشرة مزيج من : (عنكبوت ، صرصور ، جرادة ، عقرب ) في نفس الوقت !

[@Jillybean711]

I love how funny it walks. XD

[@AbhisarRawat]

First time in life I liked an insect

[@vincentvalenzuela5718]

LOL look ay its stubby little excuse for wings..xD reminds me of the caterpillar in "A Bug's Life"

[@primeappl]

Looks like a robot

[@yoyohe7005]

0:10 “Oh hi guys, I didn’t see you. Did you know I’m *Spooder Man* ?”

[@buny169]

Wow! this is a real black beauty

[@kiwi_in_sylvania5449]

He's beautiful!

[@kayrosis5523]

Turning endangered species into pets, if they can breed in captivity, actually seems to be a good way to save species.

[@frankwest6984]

Its pretty adorable.

[@TheChurchHistoryChannel]

Too short. I want to know more. It looks like the wings are vestigial at this stage. Are they? What is it related to? How did it evolve?

[@woler6533]

lmao got 3 of these little guys sitting next to me in a terrarium

[@dave78x]

Beautiful Creature

[@metasalmhover2222]

Whoaaa not gonna lie, this insect is super cool!

[@larryscott3982]

As soon as it’s discovered, collectors are its biggest threat. Thanks humanity.

[@BumOfWallstreet]

Normally, I really hate bugs, but I really like this one.

[@nileshdarunde]

Looking at it's eye this species has seen Vietnam, WWI and WWII flashbacks all at once, no wonder it is last of its kind, a survivor.

[@greencat1314]

I have some of them as pets (captive bred [They breed really much, I have so many baby's..]) O.o. I didn't know they were that rare.

[@linger6520]

green cat i bet a green cat is one of rare pet too

[@TheFeldhamster]

How hard are they to care for? They're really beautiful.

[@greencat1314]

TheFeldhamster They are actually pretty easy to keep, if you have access to privet or lilac. You just need a nice enclosure, said plants and spray water every few days.

[@NotAMathGuy]

then congrats you are saving their species kinda

[@Qcks2]

Please. Less intense music next time. It completely exaggerated the timeframe of the actual video.

[@insidexistance]

Shank Thomas I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who notices these things...

[@VinceTheCreatorr]

*Sees title* "Well thank fucking God."

[@bonehurtingjuice6634]

The Black Beauty Stick Insect

[@YuhItsBrittany]

All aboard on the nope train!!😂

[@earlessroboticcat7102]

Those wings though, they’re decadent!

[@InsaneCycloYT]

This bug looks like it came from another Demension

[@Nobody-rl1yi]

A work of art

[@Solisium-Channel]

that's a face only a mother could love

[@-recommended1289]

Sucks how many species have went and or are currently going extinct.....

[@Sderrybugs]

waaw😱 beautiful👍

[@Yesica1993]

I am terrified of insects, but this is amazing looking! (From a distance.)

[@ravendarkholme9015]

*Gorgeous* ! ! !❤

[@Zaim4eva]

More like, "This is my nightmare". But good info dump as always!

[@camillac1662]

WOW!! That's one strange bug!😊😊😊😊

[@adrianelias2365]

Love its red wings

[@Apocalypse-hh4om]

He walks *menacingly*

[@ModerntechWarfare]

This is what nightmares are made of

[@itookabathlast4029]

Scorpion + Grasshopper = that scorpion hopper confirmed Edit : i would homestly kill it already if i saw that. also call it Grasspion

[@porschecollector727]

We are here on this planet to protect and nurture it. When we discover threatened species and help it, we fulfill one of our purposes

[@superiorlobster8888]

Me: Sam, this thing sprays acid! Sam: * pulls out bug spray * I’m gonna be the one spraying acid!