Stick Insects Can Play Dead
A threatened stick insect will abruptly drop from wherever it's perched, fall to the ground, and stay very still. This behavior, called thanatosis, can successfully discourage predators.
Can Bugs play dead?
Predators quickly lose interest in dead prey, so insects that employ the strategy of playing dead (called thanatosis) can often escape unharmed. ... Insects that evade predation by playing dead include certain caterpillars, ladybugs and many other beetles, weevils, robber flies, and even giant water bugs.
Why do stick bugs dance?
The Stick insects dance to lure away their predators. The females are larger than the males. ... The ants take the unhatched eggs to their nest, kept safe from predators.
