In Dick Smith's early days he arrived at Ball's Pyramid with a scout troupe to climb the rock. It is the 50th year since the climb and he is going back for a photo to commemorate the feat in 1964. There were numerous photos taken back in 1964 but one in particular showed a dead creepy crawly bug that was being eaten by ants. This photo lay dormant for over 30 yar until someone in the know who could recognize the bug as a phasmid was flicking through the photos in 1998.
Entomologists were getting excited. It took some years to get through the red tape but eventually a crew was allowed back on the rock and settled down for the night. Sure enough phasmids were alive and well and out of the reach of rats that never made it over to the rock. Four were taken and sent to Melbourne zoo where the re-education began and the harvesting of eggs. Phasmids are back on Lord Howe island now but hidden away in boxes and chicken coops.
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| Phasmid |
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