In June, the Life Sciences Department announced that the United States Department of Agriculture is allowing us to accept any non-native stick insects as an incentive for schools, pet stores, and private citizens to retire their colonies. So far, we've had a couple of responses to our appeal.
This is a reminder that, in the wild, these insects are invasive and have the potential to severely harm the environment. Remember: Vietnamese Stick insects are parthenogenic. In other words, eggs from females are viable without being fertilized – not an uncommon occurrence in insects. In addition to being careful with containment of the insect, any bedding must be destroyed. This means incineration or freezing. (Do not compost!)
Please contact us at feedback@pacsci.org if you have any questions or would like to participate in our Stick Bug Amnesty Program.
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