Sub Family: Tropidoderinae.

Foodplant in captivity: I use bramble, oak and sometimes eucalyptus.  Ursula (of Stick Talk) has great success using California Wax Myrtle (Myrica californica) as the sole foodplant.

Humidity requirements: I personally keep this species in a plastic tank that has ventilation holes in the lid.  Other enthusiasts have success in more or less ventilated containers.  They don't seem to need to drink a lot of water - I mist only once a week, and then only lightly.

Comment: I owe my current success with this species to Cameron Die Konigin (a member of Stick Talk and a committee member of the PSG).  Recently many phasmid enthusiasts, including myself, had found that most of our Extatosoma tiaratum population were not surviving to adulthood.  This was particularly surprising since Extatosoma tiaratum used to be a very popular and easy-to-rear species, having once been a common classroom pet, alongside Carausius morosus. Several people theorised that the species might be becoming inbred, and so Cameron started a programme of out-breeding, whereby he obtained stock from breeders all over the world, and mixed them with the 'weak' UK stock.  The resulting nymphs (all those in my own collection were given to me by Cameron) really do appear to be healthier.  Thanks Cameron!  For more information I urge you to read Cameron's article on the PSG website (http://www.stickinsect.org.uk/Whatever-happened-to-ET-1.html).

Hatchling nymphs have large red/ brown-coloured heads, and run around very fast (resembling toxic ants).  From the second instar onwards the nymphs look more like adults; as they grow older it is possible to differentiate between the sexes, males having a less spiny body than the females, and also having noticeable wing buds.  At the adult stage the males have long wings that enable them to glide for several metres.  Adult females also have wings, but these are too small for flying, especially since an egg-laden adult female tends to be rather fat and heavy.

Defence tactics:  Crypsis/ camouflage, in that the adults look like crumpled dead leaves and the hatchlings resemble red ants. As with a lot of phasmid species, Extatosoma tiaratum sway from side to side when disturbed and when walking, in an attempt to blend in with surrounding leaves that may be rustling in the wind.  

Although the females in particular have rather spiny-looking bodies, they are not really able to do harm to human skin.  

When disturbed, adult males release an odour that is rather reminiscent of peanut butter or toffee.  I personally find this smell to be quite pleasant(!), but it is probably intended to taste somewhat unwelcoming to potential predators.