Reproduction

Female phasmids become sexually mature two weeks after they shed their skin for the last time. After just two more weeks, they are ready to start laying eggs. The life expectancy of a phasmid varies from species to species.

Mating:
Many phasmids are able to reproduce without their eggs ever being fertilised. This is called parthenogenese reproduction. With a few species of phasmids, you notice that when they are kept in captiviy, no males are produced. This is because, as a rule, only females hatch out of unfertilised eggs. When now and then a male does hatch from an unfertilised egg, this stems from the egg being exposed to higher than normal temperatures during developement. These males are then infertile, although they will want to mate with the females.
Phasmids mate as soon as they become sexually mature. Some males have two appendages, which resemble small worms, situated on the end of the abdomen. These work like delicate pincers and are used to hold the female during copulation.

Egg laying:
All phasmids lay eggs. These are surrounded by a relatively hard shell, with a cover at one end. The round surface is called the operculum, while the small ball on top is known as the capitulum. This cover is pushed out by the larve during hatching.
Eggs can be laid in four different ways. Many species of phasmids simply let the eggs fall - they are then well camoflaged on the ground, as they look like seeds.

Other species lay their eggs so that they stick to bits of bark or, in captivity, to the walls of a terranium. Aretaon asperrimus lay their eggs in the earth, and so have a special formed point on the end of their spine to dig holes with.
The species Asceles spec. has yet another method of egg laying. The egg has a small sharp point on one side, which allows the insect to lay them on leaves with less danger of them falling off. If you run your finger along the back of the leaf, you can feel that the point has gone right through to the other side.