This week we return to the tropical rainforests of Malaysia where we met the beautiful orchid mantis in our last episode. Today we will meet one of the true giants of the insect world, the amazing jungle nymph. The jungle nymph belongs to the clan of insects known as phasmids, an ensemble of fascinating insects that include walking sticks and leaf insects that rely on mimicking plant parts to escape detection by hungry predators. As we learned last week, the orchid mantis employs a tactic called aggressive mimicry. By mimicking the form and color of a flower, the orchid mantis lures pollinators close to its powerful, raptorial front legs, where they are captured and consumed. The jungle nymph is an herbivore dining on leaves from a variety of plants in the rainforest. Its large size, with some females reaching nearly seven inches in length, makes it a rewarding meal for any predator that can find and subdue it. However, finding and subduing it are challenges due to the special powers of the jungle nymph.
The combination of foliage-matching coloration and glacially slow movements help the jungle nymph escape the searching eyes of predators in the rainforest.
First is the power of disguise. The bright green color and body outline of the female help it blend with tropical foliage and masquerade as part of a plant, whereas the typical mottled brown color of the smaller male allows it to blend in with the twigs it hangs out on. Second is the power of sharp spines. If discovered, a predator must be relatively large and prepared to deal with an armament of sharp spines that festoon the head, legs, and body of the phasmid. As I attempted to capture a jungle nymph, I was surprised by how quickly it contorted its powerful body to stab my hand and fingers with spines on the sides of its body and legs. Third is the power of scary sounds. When I was finally able to grab the phasmid, it rapidly raised and lowered its abdomen creating a strange and unnerving scratchy-rustling sound. It made me pause and wonder what type of creature I had grabbed. The sound is a form of stridulation where opposing body segments rub across each other to create vibrations and sound meant to startle, confuse, and perhaps, dissuade a predator’s attack. In a previous episode featuring beetles in Borneo, we met another champion stridulator known as the tooth-necked longhorn beetle.
Colors that match the foliage on which it rests help the jungle nymph hide from hungry predators in the rainforest. If a predator does find the phasmid and attacks, it is confronted by a vast array of sharp spines designed to pierce tender mouthparts of the enemy. One last trick employed by the jungle nymph is a disturbing scratching, rustling sound that may startle the predator and cause it to break off its attack. An array of clever defenses helps this giant survive the perils of the Malaysian rainforest.
This marvelous phasmid was first described by Mr. John Parkinson in 1797 from specimens in the Leverian Museum in England. However, this giant of the jungle was surely known by indigenous people of southern Asia. How could you miss this amazing insect? To visit this beauty in its native habitat, plan a trip to Thailand, Singapore, Sumatra or Sarawak on the island of Borneo. An adventure to these lands is not a bad idea after the winter we have experienced here in the DMV.
Acknowledgements
We thank Todd Waters for maintaining the Insect Petting Zoo and the spectacular jungle nymph at the University of Maryland, thereby providing the inspiration for this week’s episode.