That is an Australian Giant Spiny Stick insect, Extatosoma tiaratum. At time of picture, she was about 2-3 inches long. They grow to about 5-7 inches long. If you think she's impressive, you should see the adults!

The really neat thing about them is that they are parthenogenic, meaning they can reproduce without any males present. Females will lay infertile eggs which will hatch into little baby sticks. When they're first hatched, they're about 3/4 inch long, with red head and black body. They curl up there abdomen and look just like big ants.
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Victor Gomez

gomezvi@yahoo.com

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• Not Chameleon related, for Lele and Bug fans - gomezvi, Tue Apr 26 22:32:37 2005
• RE: How cool is that thing, hehehehe, what is it? - PHEve, Wed Apr 27 09:04:33 2005
• RE: How cool is that thing, hehehehe, what is it? - gomezvi, Wed Apr 27 09:24:44 2005
• duh!! - lele, Wed Apr 27 09:40:48 2005
• RE: Come on lele, wake up, shes very impressive ;0) - PHEve, Wed Apr 27 10:01:35 2005
• RE: Come on lele, wake up, shes very impressive ;0) - gomezvi, Wed Apr 27 10:12:17 2005
• RE No me neither, I can understand his - PHEve, Wed Apr 27 11:44:51 2005
• Parthenogenic - anson, Wed Apr 27 19:24:01 2005
• RE: Parthenogenic - lele, Thu Apr 28 15:50:13 2005
• RE: Not Chameleon related, for Lele and Bug fans - lele, Wed Apr 27 09:27:50 2005
• Its a phasmid.... - gomezvi, Wed Apr 27 10:00:45 2005
• RE: Not Chameleon related, for Lele and Bug fans - FEENIEE, Wed Apr 27 11:06:04 2005
• RE: Not Chameleon related, for Lele and Bug fans - zenexotics, Wed Apr 27 12:09:48 2005
• This is a stick bug! - gomezvi, Wed Apr 27 12:18:31 2005
• RE: This is a stick bug! - zenexotics, Wed Apr 27 12:25:23 2005
• RE: This is a stick bug! - gomezvi, Wed Apr 27 12:51:46 2005
• RE: This is a stick bug! - zenexotics, Wed Apr 27 13:50:31 2005