One of my children’s birthdays is fast approaching and the requests for some kind of four legged furry friend are coming in thick and fast. Guinea pigs, rats and gerbils all appear to be on the wish list. Based on our previous experience, as initial enthusiasm for the pet will inevitably wain, it will be me who has to clean them out and care for them over the longer term. As such, I am attempting to influence the conversation.

Personally, I prefer pets to have more legs. Six ideal, perhaps eight. I am currently studying an entomology MSc part-time. At my university they maintain a number of insect cultures for the purpose of studying crop damage, biological controls, and insect behaviour. Biological control is where the money is and attracts funding. Being able to reduce the impact of insect pests on crop yields by targeting them with other insects as opposed to environmentally damaging chemicals. A few insect species among the collection are there for public engagement events.

Set your eyes upon a leaf insect (pictured) as its lime green hues wobble up a stem, a defensive behaviour that mimics being blown in the wind, and surely every child will fall in love with them and longer-term all insects. Weighing no more than a postage stamp when young, they can grow to be half the size of your hand. During recent lectures, we undertook a practical to determine how different food sources impact the growth rate of the leaf insect; rose and bramble was on the menu. We recorded the percentage of leaf eaten and discussion ensued regarding whether the frass (poo) should be weighed wet or dry.

The leaf insects remind me of the closely related stick insects I had as a child. It all started as just a single stick insect loaned from a friend. I remember stealing privet from the neighbours hedges for food. Before long there were eggs, easily mistaken for frass. Stick and leaf insects have the ability to breed parthenogenetically, without the need for a male, so before long there were lots of young. Bred this way, all offspring are females.

There are no stick or leaf insects native to our country. Our climate is not to their liking and they would struggle to survive our winters. Although three species of stick have colonised parts of the south west after being accidentally introduced with garden plants from countries as far afield as New Zealand.

Back home, decisions on birthday presents need to be made shortly. I have presented my case and am hoping for a six-legged outcome.

wharfedale-nats.org.uk