These rather fearsome looking animals are Eurycantha calcarata, commonly known as the giant spiny stick insect.
They are from New Guinea where they inhabit forests and spend the day hiding under bark or amongst leaves and emerge at night to feed on plants.
The female has an ovipositor, which looks a little like a stinger, which she uses to lay her eggs in the soil, which take several months to hatch.
Males are smaller and have large spines on their legs which they can use to defend themselves.
Ours are fed on bramble.
Tilgate Nature Centre 