Predators and Parasites

When camouflage fails, then phasmids make an interesting prey for many predators. Especially for birds but also for mammals, reptiles, spiders, wasps, mantids, bush crickets, as well as parasitic mites flies and mould. So much for well hidden and masters of camouflage. Not even "stinky" Agathemera are safe .... Agathemera luteola caught by an Argentinian owl, Megascops choliba. Bon appétit!

Click on image to enlarge it and display additional informations for each predator.

basic page gallery

<i>Cebus capucinus</i>. A white-headed capuchin from Central America. © Johan Chaves

<i>Nycticebus pygmaeus</i>. A pygmy lori from Vietnam. © Chien Lee

<i>Calumma parsonii</i>. A Parson's chameleon from Madagascar. This image is taken in captivity, but phasmids are certainly part of the natural diet of chameleons too. © Thor Håkonsen

<i>Tockus leucomelas</i>. A southern yellow-billed hornbill from Namiba, caught an adult <i>Bactrododema</i> female. © Hugo Chittenden

<i>Chaetops frenatus</i>. A Cape rockjumper from South Africa. © Robert Lewis

<i>Cisticola juncidis</i>. A zitting cisticola from southern France, where phasmids are a natural prey. © Bernard Vinc

<i>Coracina novaehollandiae</i>. A black-faced cuckooshrike from Queensland, Australia. © David Taylor

<i>Coracina novaehollandiae</i>. A black-faced cuckooshrike from Queensland, Australia. © David Taylor

<i>Dacelo leachii</i>. A blue-winged kookaburra from Western Australia caught an adult Eurycnema female. © Kerri-Lee Harris

<i>Dacelo novaeguineae</i>. A laughing kookaburra from Australia. © Stan Cochrane

<i>Halcyon leucocephala</i>. A grey-headed kingfisher from Tanzania. © Adrian Binns

<i>Lanius collurio</i>. A red-backed shrike from Scilly Islands GB. Phasmids have been introduced to this island just recently (in biological terms), probably via imported plants from New Zealand. Thus before they were no natural prey for birds in that area, yet it seems as if they find them. © Dick Filby

<i>Manorina melancephala</i>. A noisy miner from Koreela NP, New South Wales, Australia. © Bernice & Mark O'Mahoney

<i>Megascops choliba</i>. A tropical screech owl from Córdoba, Argentina, caught an <i>Agathemera luteola</i>. © Martin Hector Bassanetti

<i>Pachyramphus versicolor</i>. A barred becard from Costa Rica. © Guillermo Saborio

<i>Priotelus temnurus</i>. A Cuban trogon from Cuba. © José M. Pantaleón

<i>Priotelus temnurus</i>. A Cuban trogon from Cuba. © José M. Pantaleón

<i>Psilopogon rafflesii</i>. A red-crowned barbet from Borneo. © Bill Schweber

<i>Sylvia communis</i>. A common whitethroat from Airège, southern France. Phasmids do exist in that part of France, so these are a prey of these birds. © Christophe Ramos

Mantodea. A mantid from Australia. © Ben

<i>Olios sp.</i>. A huntsman spider from Ecuador. © Andreas Kay

Spiders (Araneae). An adult <i>Parastratocles</i> male got caught up in a spider web in Panama. Looks like he is the first meal of the spiderlings. © Pablo Valero

Tettigoniidae. A predatory bush cricket from Ecuadorian Amazon

Vespidae. Big wasp /hornet from Pu’er, Yunnan, China. © John Horstman

Vespidae. An egg parasitizing wasp from Ankor Wat (Cambodia), here on <i>Trachythorax sp.</i> eggs. © Paul Bertner

Mites (Acari). Mites on an adult Lonchodinae male from Borneo. © Nick Bay

Mites (Acari). Mites on an adult Lonchodinae male from Borneo. © Nick Bay

Mites (Acari). Mites on an <i>Asceles sp.</i> nymph from Mt. Kinabalu on Borneo. © Paul Bertner

Ceratopogonidae. Biting midge (parasitic flies) on an adult <i>Paranisomorpha</i> male in Panama. © Pablo Valero.

Fungi. A phasmid infected by an entomopathogenic fungus (Ecuador). © Paul Bertner.