Sperm is transferred in a packet called the spermatophore. Eggs are gray and tan in color. A female can lay up to 1,000 eggs in her lifetime. Males do not have to be present for females to reproduce. If males are present and the female mates, eggs hatch within a few months.
Parthenogenic eggs take longer to develop.
It takes approximately three to four months for a nymph to reach adult stage. During this time, Australian walkingsticks go through six or seven molts. Australian walkingsticks are nocturnal, remaining mostly motionless during the day. Their enemies include birds and small mammals. If a predator approaches, walkingsticks will freeze in place, or sometimes even rock back and forth to mimic a twig shaking in the breeze.