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It have a pair of shell that looks like airplane wings. I imagine it must be cumbersome since its solid and cant bend or flap or fold at all.
Its wing is just underneath the shell , and opens like... X Wing from star wars.

That's...pretty cool. I Hammerhead's were insects this is what they'd look like. I think Awesome Spider now has a nemesis.

Im trying to make sense how those wing shell work.
Its evolutionary backwards no? imagine trying to hide inside a crack or a hole and the shell gets stuck....

What an amazing wee beastie!

wonder if the fixed wings give lift so it can carry on the wind. Would be useful for energy saving travel.

Looks like some sort of cranefly but afaik we don't have that species in Britain.

Isn't it some kind of stick insect? Where'd the pic come from luna?

I thought stick insects are flightless?

The arrangement of the legs is totally different too, Flashman.

Flashman wrote:Isn't it some kind of stick insect? Where'd the pic come from luna?

From mom's camera. I caught it in a Ferro Rocher box lol

Looks like a plume moth... the 'hairs' on the legs and the head are moth-like.
Can you get a shot with the wings out, or better detail of the rear abdomen?

Many stick insects can fly.

It's a Drosophila luftwaffa.







No, I just made that up.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ask-whats-that-bug/

let us know what they say...

I'm curious. I spent like 30 minutes trying to figure it out with my trusty friend, interwebs.

Saw a really beautiful white moth that was similar.
However from the pics and descripition the wings are encased which suugests that it is not a moth.
Also rule out cranefly too

ditto IG Urban.

I say, what an amazing model for a Fire Dragon eldar model, or maybe even a Tyranid Harpy!

Quick, catch it in some amber!

What is with you and encapsulating bugs in amber?!

ghosty wrote:What is with you and encapsulating bugs in amber?!

If I had my way, all our celebrities would be preserved in some unusual, interesting, and ironic fashion:

Why not try taking it to a University or something? You could well have discovered a new species of insect.

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Saw a really beautiful white moth that was similar.
However from the pics and descripition the wings are encased which suugests that it is not a moth.
Also rule out cranefly too

ditto IG Urban.

Plume moths don't have normal wings. They have 'plumes'. That's why I want to see the other 'wings'. I think it's stenoptilia pterodactyla, a European/North American species.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Found a photo. Looks the same to me. The head is in the exact same position, the leg hairs are the same, and the wings... well, there's no mistaking those. Luna mentioned the secondary wings, and they're visible in this shot. Can you confirm, Luna?

Thanks Arctic

I saw it futtering around in streetlight so didn't get a look at it at rest and had no idea the wings were arranged like that!

That bug looks awesome. I'm keen to find out what it is as well, the only purpose I can think of for that wide shell is to appear to birds as a stick... or maybe just be too damn annoying for the birds to eat.

sebster wrote: the only purpose I can think of for that wide shell is to appear to birds as a stick... or maybe just be too damn annoying for the birds to eat.

More likely it's to attract mates with the awesomness of thier 'thingies'. Many bizzare bodyparts on creature have evolved just as a selection tool to prove thier worth as a potential parent.

Agreed, it it rather cool though!

~B)

Moth-headed hexapod = moth. Butterflies all have four 'normal' wings. I'm 99% sure it's a plume moth, but might be wrong on the genus.

Arctik_Firangi wrote:

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Saw a really beautiful white moth that was similar.
However from the pics and descripition the wings are encased which suugests that it is not a moth.
Also rule out cranefly too

ditto IG Urban.

Plume moths don't have normal wings. They have 'plumes'. That's why I want to see the other 'wings'. I think it's stenoptilia pterodactyla, a European/North American species.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Found a photo. Looks the same to me. The head is in the exact same position, the leg hairs are the same, and the wings... well, there's no mistaking those. Luna mentioned the secondary wings, and they're visible in this shot. Can you confirm, Luna?

Yep! Im pretty sure you are correct ( plume moth )
Googled for white one that Chibi saw , wow they really are beautiful , almost angelic

Orki wrote:

sebster wrote: the only purpose I can think of for that wide shell is to appear to birds as a stick... or maybe just be too damn annoying for the birds to eat.

More likely it's to attract mates with the awesomness of thier 'thingies'. Many bizzare bodyparts on creature have evolved just as a selection tool to prove thier worth as a potential parent.

Agreed, it it rather cool though!

seb is more likely correct, moths and butterflies make extensive use of camoflague. There is a species of plume here in Oz that looks like a wasp. Guess why?

To make sure they get into country clubs.

Orkeosaurus wrote:To make sure they get into country clubs.

Correct!

Arctik_Firangi wrote:

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Saw a really beautiful white moth that was similar.
However from the pics and descripition the wings are encased which suugests that it is not a moth.
Also rule out cranefly too

ditto IG Urban.

Plume moths don't have normal wings. They have 'plumes'. That's why I want to see the other 'wings'. I think it's stenoptilia pterodactyla, a European/North American species.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Found a photo. Looks the same to me. The head is in the exact same position, the leg hairs are the same, and the wings... well, there's no mistaking those. Luna mentioned the secondary wings, and they're visible in this shot. Can you confirm, Luna?

Trust the Aussie to find the answer to the exotic breed of insect.

I think you pinned it down Arctik
oops maybe not the correct phrase where butterflies and moths are concerned!

Thanks for those pics Luna,
Stunning!

Thank you for pointing out that remarkably clever pun. I might not have noticed.

LunaHound wrote:

Arctik_Firangi wrote:

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:Saw a really beautiful white moth that was similar.
However from the pics and descripition the wings are encased which suugests that it is not a moth.
Also rule out cranefly too

ditto IG Urban.

Plume moths don't have normal wings. They have 'plumes'. That's why I want to see the other 'wings'. I think it's stenoptilia pterodactyla, a European/North American species.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Found a photo. Looks the same to me. The head is in the exact same position, the leg hairs are the same, and the wings... well, there's no mistaking those. Luna mentioned the secondary wings, and they're visible in this shot. Can you confirm, Luna?

Yep! Im pretty sure you are correct ( plume moth )
Googled for white one that Chibi saw , wow they really are beautiful , almost angelic

What a beautiful animal, so unique, so weird, so wonderful.

LunaHound wrote:It have a pair of shell that looks like airplane wings. I imagine it must be cumbersome since its solid and cant bend or flap or fold at all.
Its wing is just underneath the shell , and opens like... X Wing from star wars.

I say get the heavy flamer

Nuke it from orbit. Its the only way to be sure.