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Western Shorthorned Walkingstick

Walking stick from Eastern Washington
Location: Yakima, WA
November 2, 2010 11:17 am
I was surprised to find a couple of these Phasmatodeans in Eastern Washington. Do you think they live in sagebrush or the shrub elm I found them near. If they hadn’t been blow onto the pavement, there would be no hope of finding them. Real short antennae.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=293596&id=748938972&l=6a428cfa4a
Signature: Paul Huffman, President-for-Life, Moclips Surf Club

walkingstick paul 300x270 Western Shorthorned Walkingstick

Western Shorthorned Walkingstick

Hi Paul,
Your Walkingstick photo is quite nice.  We believe it is a Northern Walkingstick, Diapheromera femorata, which is found in nearby Alberta Canada, according to BugGuide and your image matches an image posted to BugGuide that is identified as a Northern Walkingstick.  According to BugGuide, they feed on “Foliage of deciduous trees and shrubs, especially oaks and hazelnuts” so we would hazard that your individual was more likely feeding on the elm than the sagebrush.

Correction
Once Paul wrote a comment on the length of the antennae, we realized that this must be a Western Shorthorned Walkingstick, Parabacillus hesperus, which is illustrated on BugGuide, though its range is listed as California and Oregon, and not as far North as Washington.

Posted 03 November 2010 § ‡ Comments (1) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Walkingstick from Italy

Italy – Phasmatodea
Location: Italy (near Viterbo)
October 31, 2010 4:48 pm
Hello Bugman,
I saw this stick-bug yesterday (I believe it is called Phasmatodea). I thought you may be interested in this. I was.
Bye
Signature: Saverio

walkingstick italy saverio 300x206 Walkingstick from Italy

Walkingstick

Hi Saverio,
Thanks so much for sending your photo.  We don’t get many submissions from Italy.  We commonly call Phasmids Walkingsticks in North America.  We did a bit of research and learned on the University of Groningen website that:  “In Europe, some ten species can be found in the Mediterranean region” and that some of them have been reclassified into a new genus.

Posted 02 November 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) °

Mating Muskmare and her diminutive stallion

What’s this bug called
Location:  Savannah, GA 70’s degree
October 13, 2010 10:41 am
A co-worker pointed this bug out to me and we were curious to know what this was. Thanks for the help in advanced! : )
Signature:  CRB

mating muskmares crb 300x206 Mating Muskmare and her diminutive stallion

Mating Muskmares

Dear CRB,
These are Two Striped Walkingsticks in the genus Anisomorpha, commonly called Muskmares because they are often found in the mating position with the considerably smaller male on top.  Caution should be exercised in handling Muskmares because according to BugGuide:  “Members of this genus can deliver a chemical spray to the eyes that can cause corneal damage.”

Posted 16 October 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Darwin Stick Insect from Australia

Goliath Stick Insect – short on legs
Location:  Boodjamulla National Park, Queensland, Australia
October 13, 2010 7:06 am
Hi,
this is just to enjoy: attached a couple of pics of a beautiful Goliath Stick Insect, taken 19.04.2010 in Boodjamulla National Park, Queensland, Australia. It was huge – that is a large man’s large hand beside it – and seemed to be in good health even with two legs missing…
(i resized the pictures for uploading, if you would like the originals, just say the word)
Yours
Signature:  St. Jules

goliath stick australia jules 300x213 Darwin Stick Insect from Australia

Darwin Stick Insect

Dear St. Jules,
The Goliath Stick Insect, Eurycnema goliath, is an impressive creature, even if shy a few legs.  More information on one of Australia’s largest Phasmids can be found on Oz Animals.

Correction
December 6, 2011
Thanks to a comment, we have been informed that this is a Darwin Stick Insect, Eurycnema osiris, and we found an illustration by Emily S. Samstra who does Science Illustration.  Though FlickR is not necessarily a reliable source, we did find this information:  “This phasmid (Eurycnema osiris) is extremely common in the Northern Territory and may be found in many domestic gardens. have been rearing this species very easily for quite some time now and have distributed it to many people in the PSG. It thrives on acacia, cypress pine, eucalyptus and guava.   Body length: male 115-134 mm, female 170-221 mm.  Coloration: Green in female with bold pink longitudinal band on mesonotum, greenish brown in male.”  That would indicate that this image is a female and perhaps the pink stripe that is barely visible was the identifying feature.

 

Posted 13 October 2010 § ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged:

Phasmid from Costa Rica

Costa Rica flying phasmid?
Location:  Monteverde, Costa Rica
October 10, 2010 1:31 pm
Hello fine sir.
While my family and I were in Monteverde, Costa Rica this August, among the more more common nocturnal insects were these pretty little green & yellow & red critters. They were about 2 inches long from head to red-spotted rear (with another 2 inches or so of delicate antenna). I would guess that they were phasmids, but they also reminded me of some tree crickets I’ve seen, including the graceful way they flew. Whaddya think?
Signature:  John

phasmid costa rica john 300x200 Phasmid from Costa Rica

Phasmid from Costa Rica

Hi John,
We are uncertain if this is a Phasmid or an Orthopteran.  Perhaps Karl who travels to Costa Rica can supply a response.  We will also try to contact Piotr Naskrecki, an expert in Longhorned Orthopterans if he recognizes this species.

Piotr Naskrecki Responds
Hi Daniel,
Definitely a phasmid. It looks like Anthericonia (Pseudophasmatidae), possibly A. anketeschkei, which was recently described from Monteverde.
Cheers,
Piotr

Ed. NOte:
We located an image on Flickr and some on Phasmatodea.com that look quite similar.

Wow, you guys are incredible. Thank you very much! The photos of A. anketeschkei on Phasmatodea.com look precisely like the ones I saw.
Piotr, your book The Smaller Majority is one of my favorite wildlife photography books and an inspiration to me to improve my own camera skills (not to mention spend more time in the wild). I had already used it to identify the fantastical Copiphora rhinoceros that we saw at Sueño Azul resort in Sarapiqui.
Daniel and Piotr, thanks again for taking your time to help the rest of us.
John Sullivan
www.wildherps.com
I will be visiting your paypal link very soon.

Posted 10 October 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) °

MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles and Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars

Bug Love at Shenandoah
Location:  Shenandoah National Park, VA
August 17, 2010 9:43 pm
Hi, Daniel, My grandson and I just spent a long weekend camping at Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of west-central VA, a nice change from the heat and humidity of the VA Peninsula. We found tons of good bugs and are sending a sample. The first is of milkweed beetles mating on, what else?, milkweed growing right outside the visitor center at Big Meadow in the Park. The second is from the Meadow and was a great find – walking sticks!! We also found 2 rhinoceros beetles but couldn’t get in close enough for a good shot. Enjoy!
Kathy Haines

walkingsticks mating kathy 218x300 MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles and Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars

Mating Walkingsticks

Hi Kathy,
We just received your numerous emails with multiple attached photographs, and we want to post one image before hurrying out to work.  The Walkingsticks appear to be Northern Walkingsticks, Diapheromera femorata, which can be verified on BugGuide.  Please in the future do not send multiple unrelated species in a single email because it complicates our system of archiving letters.

Daniel, thanks, and I’m so sorry – I’m so impressed with the work you do on what we send in that the last thing I’d want to do is mess it up.  My apologies, and thanks for letting me know.
Kathy Haines

Kathy,
PLease don’t take our comment the wrong way.  It will just be so difficult for us to choose from among your other great photos.  We may just try posting one email with multiple categories.  Your Large Milkweed Bug photo of Oncopeltus fasciatus is a great continuation of the thriving ecosystem surrounding the Milkweed Meadow.  More information on the Large Milkweed Bug, which is not a beetle, may be located on BugGuide.

milkweed bugs kathy 300x210 MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles and Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars

Mating Large Milkweed Bugs

Shenandoah, Part II
Location:  Shenandoah National Park, VA
August 17, 2010 9:47 pm
Here are a couple more from the Shenandoah NP camping trip. I think we have milkweed tussock caterpillars, maybe a type of armyworm caterpillar?, and a daddy longlegs. We’re bypassing the many monarchs, eastern tiger swallowtails (our state insect), and what we think is a hickory tussock moth but will send one more with a gorgeous green sphinx (we think).
Kathy Haines

milkweed tussock cats kathy 300x200 MILKWEED MEADOW: Mating Walkingsticks and Mating Milkweed Beetles and Milkweed Tussock Caterpillars

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars

Hi again Kathy,
This photo of the Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars or Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillars, Euchaetes egle, supports the description of the life cycle on BugGuide which states:  “Larvae feed on milkweed, Asclepias species. Adults sometimes found on hostplant during day (1). Females lay eggs in “rafts” and caterpillars are gregarious during instars 1-3, solitary in later instars, when marked with bright tufts. May defoliate patches of milkweed.”  We are adding this image to your previous letter and building the Milkweed Meadow feature.

!!!
Ethan (my grandson) and I are honored.  This is so cool!  I can’t wait for him to see the post – he’s going to love it.
Thanks, Daniel – I can’t stop smiling.
Kathy Haines

What’s That Bug on the Tomato PLant???
Could that be a new book title?  The Milkweed Meadow or Goldenrod Forest would be much more fascinating books.  Or, I could just stay close to home and write Black Mustard and the Camino Real and its thriving Spider and Insect population in Elyria Canyon.

Posted 18 August 2010 § Seed Bugs § Tussock Moth Caterpillars ‡ Comments (1) ° Tagged:

Unknown Mating Walkingsticks from Vietnam: Neohirasea maerens

Mating stick insects from Vietnam icon biggrin Unknown Mating Walkingsticks from Vietnam: Neohirasea maerens But what kind..?
Location:  Jungle, Island, Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
July 31, 2010 7:53 am
We were trekking through the jungle on one of the islands of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, with me constantly lagging behind the rest of the group. But thank goodness I did because I managed to spot this lovely little pair having a go at it on a leaf. If I remember correctly (I spotted them a month ago at the beginning of July) she was about 4-5 inches in length. I loved the almost scale-like patterns of yellow and black on the female. The male wasn’t quite as distinctive. They both had a few ”thorns” poking out of their abdomens. I’ve tried searching for what these guys are called, but I am clueless. Thanks!
Rixie

mating walkingsticks vietnam rixie 300x184 Unknown Mating Walkingsticks from Vietnam: Neohirasea maerens

Unidentified Mating Walkingsticks are Neohirasea maerens

Hi Rixie,
We agree that this is an attractive pair of Walkingsticks.  We will need to research their identity, but we are posting them prior to research since one of our readers might be able to assist in the identification.

Update from Karl
August 3, 2010
Hi Daniel and Rixie:
It looks like a pair of Neohirasea maerens (Phasmatidae: Lonchodinae). This native of Vietnam and neighboring countries is apparently quite popular among Walkingstick breeders so there is quite a lot of information available on the internet. Regards.
Karl

I see that Karl was able to identify them. Thank you so much for you help! You all do fantastic work and I love your site icon smile Unknown Mating Walkingsticks from Vietnam: Neohirasea maerens
Rixie

Posted 01 August 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Giant Walking Stick

BIG Texas Phasmid – Megaphasma?
July 3, 2010
I submitted some blurry pictures the other day, but she is still in the neighborhood, and she’s so pretty, I just had to take some better snaps to share her. She is 6 inches from head to tail, closer to 12 with the legs. Her coloration doesn’t match the Megaphasmae on BugGuide, she’s much more drab than the red and green monsters I’ve seen before. But her antenna arrangement does look like one of the Diapheromeridae, and at that size and heft, what else could she be in Central Texas? She really is gorgeous and very tolerant of me sticking my camera in her face. I hope you enjoy the sharper photos!
Melvis & Laugh
San Antonio, TX

giant walkingstick melvis 283x300 Giant Walking Stick

Giant Walking Stick

Dear Melvis & Laugh,
We are happy to post your photo of a Giant Walking Stick, Megaphasma dentricrus.  We decided to link to BugGuide, and we found you had already posted your photo there.  Linking to BugGuide does bring up one interesting question for us.  This species is classified in the order Phasmida, the Walkingsticks, yet the common name for the species uses a noun and modifier rather than the compound word.  We are curious why this species is commonly called a Walking Stick rather than a Walkingstick.

Posted 04 July 2010 § ‡ Comments (0) °

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