Phyllium giganteum

....or in more simple words a "leaf insect".

Shot in the field on a trip to the rain forest ? Err no , shot at the practical evening at tonight's Arnold and District Camera Club meeting.

Hand held with my 50mm lens on my 60D

[Lee]

Where is it! I don't see any insects here. Nice one Phil, what a fabulous insect.

[Gena Pegg]

OMGoodness. I have never seen one of these! Amazing captured. HUGE fav!

[Hazel]

"You can-not be se-ri-ous!" Oh I see it has eyes!!! Bizarre!!!

[Dione Giorgio]

Haha for your fun narrative, Phil. I, too, can't see the phyllium giganteum here. Or are you just pulling our legs.

[Annie D]

omg i want one - oh how awesome - I had some spiny leaf insects for a while - they are fabulous - how big is this one?

[Annie D]

and....lol....i topped at rainforest to comment coz I was so excited...all the time thinking where on earth did Phil end up in a rainforest hahahahaha

[Nicole]

wow that is so cool!

[Ivan]

Nicely rendered, Phil.

[Phil Howcroft]

@ivan many thanks ivan :)

@nicoleterheide thanks nicole

@annied we do have forest's in nottingham annie, sherwood forest is a famous one, but not many Phyllium giganteum's there !!!

[Phil Howcroft]

@sangwann Dione, it is that big green thing on the bark. That's the leaf insect ...Seriously, it moves :)

@quietpurplehaze thanks haze, it is rather cute i think :)

@eyesmile thanks for the HUGE fave gena, it is rather unusual :)

@gamelee it is pretty cool lee :)

[Annie D]

Haaha
I know forests Phil....particularly Sherwood...but there is a difference between a forest....and a rainforest. ...lol

[Allison Williams]

Unbelievable! At first I was certain it was just a leaf. I had to really study your picture to see it for what it really was. Great work!

[Phil Howcroft]

@annied it does rain a lot in Nottingham Annie :)

@allie912 many thanks allison, it is very well camouflaged . I have another insect to share but I cannot remember it's name :) , it could have been Brian :)

[Annie D]

@phil_howcroft hahahahahaha it rains a lot in the UK :)

[Phil Howcroft]

@annied forgot to answer your question re size.... ...approx 7 cm :-)

[Annie D]

@phil_howcroft coolio

[Poppy]

Amazing shot! Amazing insect! Great spotting it! Fav!

[Al Bailey]

Crikey I really thought it was a leaf! fab shot! :)

[Matt Clendon]

And a very impressive one it is too.

[Nick]

Great looking bug.

[Sylvia du Toit]

Thanks for sharing.