# The Land Lobster: The world's rarest insect

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-dispatches-7236148/the-land-lobster-the-world-s-rarest-insect
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-dispatches-7236148/the-land-lobster-the-world-s-rarest-insect.md
Podcast: [History Dispatches](https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-dispatches-7236148)
Published: 2026-07-10T07:10:00+00:00
Episode link: https://pdrl.fm/ccb7c9/rss.pdrl.fm/ccb7c9/tracking.swap.fm/track/YfZO4tERxneauNcW9Fgn/mgln.ai/e/211/traffic.megaphone.fm/ARML4429873985.mp3
Audio file: https://pdrl.fm/ccb7c9/rss.pdrl.fm/ccb7c9/tracking.swap.fm/track/YfZO4tERxneauNcW9Fgn/mgln.ai/e/211/traffic.megaphone.fm/ARML4429873985.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/history-dispatches-7236148/episodes/the-land-lobster-the-world-s-rarest-insect
Duration seconds: 1168

## Resource

For untold years the tropical paradise of Lord Howe Island was home to the enormous insect called the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, or Land Lobster - an 8-inch long bug endemic to the island. But they went extinct shortly around 1918 - at least until 2001, when just a few dozen were found on a virtually uninhabitable rock a dozen miles away. Sources "Rediscovery of the ‘extinct’ Lord Howe Island stick-insect (Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier)) (Phasmatodea) and recommendations for its conservation" by David Priddel et al. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-15/lord-howe-island-stick-insect-discovery-balls-pyramid/106381564 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryococelus Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lord_Howe_Island_stick_insect_Dryococelus_australis_10June2011_PalmNursery.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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