Sex and survival in insects

[paul m]

It's well known that many/most stick insects breed asexually - a male stick insect is a very rare thing - work has put a period of time to this mainly female state:
BBC Nature - Sticks insects survive one million years without sex
The piece doesn't suggest what might be the advantage of parthenogenesis. Sexual reproduction allows variation of genetic make-up (and thus adaptation and evolution) whereas asexuality causes great stability of genes. Is it that small herbivores such as stick insects have no need to evolve?

[Pudding4brains]

Interesting read Paul, thanks

Recently, I have been reading up on how Wolbachia and other infections cause parthenogenesis in various invertebrates and how in some cases this is predicted to renders all-female populations in the long run, that are "bound to" become extinct - questioning also the effectiveness of this Wolbachia-strategy.

Nature never ceases to surprise and puzzle us

Cheers, Arp