Acrophylla wuelfingi, commonly known as the Giant Northern Stick Insect or Wülfing’s Stick Insect, is a large species of phasmid native to the northern east-coast regions of Queensland, Australia. 
 
Physical Characteristics
Size: It is one of Australia's largest stick insects. Adult females reach body lengths of 180–230 mm (up to 40 cm with legs outstretched), while males are smaller, measuring 90–150 mm.
Appearance: They have long, slender bodies with small spines on the thorax and jagged serrations on the front legs.
Wings: Both sexes have fan-like wings upon reaching maturity. Males are capable of short flights, whereas females are too heavy to fly and primarily use their wings to startle predators.
Camouflage: Their appearance allows them to blend in perfectly with foliage, often resembling small branches. 
 
Habitat and Ecology
Distribution: Primarily found in far North Queensland, inhabiting rainforests, eucalypt bushland, and She-oak woodlands.
Diet: Generalist herbivores that feed on various native plants including Eucalyptus, Acacia, paperbarks, and bottlebrush. In captivity, they can also be raised on bramble, raspberry, and oak.
Behaviour: Mostly stationary and nocturnal, they often adopt a swaying motion when moving to mimic a twig in the breeze. 
 
Reproduction and Lifecycle
Eggs: Females drop seed-like eggs to the forest floor.
Incubation: Eggs typically hatch in 3 to 9 months, depending on temperature (ideally 23–26°C).
Parthenogenesis: Like many phasmids, they can reproduce parthenogenetically; females may lay fertile eggs even without mating. 
 
Captivity
They are popular in the pet trade due to their impressive size and ease of care. 
Enclosure: Requires a tall mesh enclosure (at least 50 cm high) to allow for successful molting, as they need to hang vertically to shed their exoskeleton.
Humidity: Regular misting is necessary to maintain humidity, which prevents moulting complications.