Didymuria violescens
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Didymuria violescens, the spur legged phasmid, also known as the violet-winged stick insect, or violet-winged phasma, is a common phasmid native to Australia. Males have distinct spurs and thicker hind legs (the hind have the spurs) which is where the animal gets its common name, though the spurs are only found on the male. This specific type of stick insect eats Gum (Eucalyptus) leaves, female lay very many eggs as there is a low chance of live hatching from the egg. The female produces eggs that can bear young even if the eggs are not fertilized, though those hatch-lings are only female. This is called parthenogenesis. Newly hatched stick/leaf insects are called nymphs until their final (5th-7th) molt. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spur Legged Phasmid sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 226 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 55th most-seen of the 742 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Spur Legged Phasmid in Sydney on a given day, against under 5% in June to September, the lowest months. That is one of Sydney's wettest months, with about 130 mm of rain against 45 mm in September.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spur Legged Phasmid sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Spur Legged Phasmid sightings, Sydney has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Brisbane (Australia, about 10%) and Melbourne (Australia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Spur Legged Phasmid is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (226 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
