Moss Mimic Walkingstick from Costa Rica
(08/05/2008) costa rica critters
hey bugman,
I just wrote you with some photos of jumping spiders from toronto. I remembered that I had some photos from costa rica to share with you. I just got into your site and would like to add any way I can. attached are some of the finds that I had. the first is a walking stick that looked like moss from monte verde, costa rica. the second is a preying mantis I had a photoshoot with. the way she displayed her wings (she?) was pretty cool. that was in la fortuna, costa rica. the third is a whip scorpion I found when we were volunteering in making a soccer field for the local school in playa matapalo, costa rica. I hope these pics can be of help, and I would like to know if I can get the proper names for my little friends.
thanks for the great site!



While we are not certain exactly what your Moss Mimic Walkingstick from Costa Rica is, we are fascinated by it and hope one of our readers can contribute some information.

Muskmare
(06/14/2008) Long insect found in Houston
My kids found this in our Garage today.  Long body, 6 legs and a black stripe down the back.  Can you identify it?  We live in NW Houston. Thanks,
Gabriel



hi Gabriel,
This is a Two Striped Walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides, also known as a Muskmare. This is a larger female. Mating pairs are frequently found. Handle the Muskmare with care as it is capable of spraying a noxious substance with amazing accuracy. They inevitably aim for the eyes, and though the noxious substance is an eye irritant, no lasting damage will occur.

Unknown Leaf Insect from Australia is Spiny Leaf Insect, AKA Macleays Spectre
(04/27/2008) Cool Bug
If you know anything about bugs in Australia we would love to learn what type of critter we have here. At first I thought it was a dead leaf which had blown off of a clump of eucalyptus branches I had just cut for my possums.... until I saw it crawling up the spare possum box on the front verandah! NO idea what it is but I kept a safe distance as the scorpion-style tail looked somewhat threatening! Thanks
Tom



Hi Tom,
This is some species of Phasmid, commonly called Walkingsticks, Stick Insects, or in the case of your specimen, probably a Leaf Insect. We have not had any luck identifying the species. Perhaps our loyal reader Grev, who often comes to our rescue with unknown Australian specimens, will have better luck scouring the internet than we have had. Leaf Insects do not have stingers, and the posture of the tail end is display only.

Update: (04/28/2008) Unknown stick insect from Australia
Hi Daniel,
Extatosoma tiaratum,  Spiny Leaf Insect,  is a member of the Phasmid family.  See: http://miller.emu.id.au/pmiller/books/stick-insects/phasmatodea/phasmatidae/tropidoderinae/extatosoma/index.html ... Kind regards,
Grev

Update: (04/28/2008) That Unknown Australian Leaf Insect
Hi Guys,
most likely your stick/leaf insect is Macleays Spectre, Extatosoma tiaratum Here is a reference link with pic http://miller.emu.id.au/pmiller/books/stick-insects/phasmatodea/phasmatidae/tropidoderinae/extatosoma/tiaratum/index.html regards,
Trevor Jinks
Queensland

Edibility Update: (04/29/2008) Australian phasmid: edible!
Hi Daniel,
Hope your semester is wrapping up well.  Extatosoma tiaratum is among the walkingsticks and leaf-insects consumed in Papua New Guinea.  They're also a popular display species in the Insectarium world, and among amateur invertebrate-keepers. Best,
Dave
www.slshrimp.com

Walkingstick
(10/15/2007) Hi Daniel it's Michelle from Photo1
While visiting friends in my hometown we spotted this enormous insect.  Is it a Preying Mantis, or a Walking Stick?  It curled up it's tail like a scorpion sometimes. My friend didn't seem to threatened by it, should he have been?  I thought you would like the pics.
Tahlia Michelle,



Hi Michelle,
While we pride ourselves on getting to know our students, your city and state of origin currently escapes us. Sadly you did not include the location for your photo of a Walkingstick. Walkingsticks are plant eaters and can be distinguished from the predatory Preying Mantids as Mantids have raptorial front legs. Hope to see you in school today.

Daniel:
The walkingstick dated 10/15/2007 is a female giant walkingstick, Megaphasma denticrus. They are not uncommon in the south-central U.S.
Eric Eaton

Witch's Horse: New name for Two Striped Walkingstick
(10/11/2007) Anisomorpha photos - are you willing or able to ID to species?
Good Afternoon!!
Wow - what a great insect ID resource!  As a result of the information available on your website, I was able to identify, at least to Genus, photos I had taken of a large walkingstick-like insect back in October of 2000.  These were taken in Dugger Mountain Wilderness, Shoal Creek Ranger District, National Forests in Alabama (Calhoun County, in North Alabama). It was a single individual, and about 3 inches in length.  By moving slowly, and using sweetgum leaves (underside showing in the photo), I was able to get fairly close to get these photos.  I suspect I would have been even more circumspect had I realized it could produce a noxious discharge! What I am not positive about is the species.  The location (Southern Appalachian ecoregion) would indicate it to be A. ferruginous, but going by photos and size, there is a slight possibility it could be A. buprestoides. Locals refer to it as the Devil's Riding Horse or Witch's Horse.   So before I label this completely, I wanted to see if you-all would be kind enough to take a shot a the ID. Obviously, since these photos were taken October 17, 2000, I am not in a hurry for any reply.  However, due to your postings, I finally have a genus with which to label these photos (other than Big Ugly Bug 1, 2, & 3). Thanks for the great work on your site, and thank you in advance for your time and skills!!
Rhonda Stewart
Botanist/Ecologist
USForest Service



Hi Rhonda,
While we do not have the necessary skill to positively identify your Walkingstick to the species level, we are very intrigued with the two new names you have provided for this fascinating insect. We especially like Witch's Horse and both names referring to the mating activity.

Mating Muskmares
(09/21/2007) Anisomorpha buprestoides
Hi,
I was going to ask for an ID, but I found them in the Insect Love section...Still, I think I have some nice pics!  I guess I'm lucky that with all the messing around with them that photographing entailed, she didn't spray me!  They are released into my tortoise pen.  I'm in Alachua, Florida.  I see these every once in a while.
Nanci



Hi Nanci,
You did a great job of properly identifying your mating Muskmares or Two Striped Walkingsticks. It is also evident that you read that they will spray a noxious, irritant into a person's eyes with amazing accuracy if they are disturbed. We especially love your choice of a location for your image, the ceramic plate with a sphinx moth underglaze.

A Muskmare and her Stallion
(09/04/2007) What is this bug?
Found this one in Ocala, Florida.  Learned real fast not to touch this one for it let out one heck of a stink!
Curtis



Hi Curtis,
These are mating Muskmares, or more correctly, a Muskmare and her stallion. They are Anisomorpha buprestoides, Two-striped Walkingsticks. The smell you mentioned was the least of your worries. These Walkingsticks can shoot a noxious substance from glands in the "neck" region with amazing accuracy. They have hit more than one of our readers in the eye and the irritation and blurry vision may last for hours.

Walkingstick
(06/04/2007) Megaphasma dentricus
found on Schlefflera trunk San Diego May 25 2007 - image has ruler. (Also have extreme macro showing camo details if you want it.) (ever notice how stickbug images tend to be vertical?) There are suddenly a lot of species (common stickbug, others) of these guys around the area - drought stress? Incidentally, we propagate bamboo here but couldn't spin it into cloth so bought a shirt from Shirts of Bamboo - soft supple hand to the cloth - feels smoother and denser than cotton. Good service, nice people.
Mark Robertson - Ocean Beach CA



Hi Mark,
We post all of our Walkingstick images as verticals since they fit nicely into our site's format. We do not believe this is the Giant Walkingstick, Megaphasma dentricus. We aren't entirely convinced it is native since in Los Angeles, many exotic, like the progeny of pets, can exist in our mild climate. As for the population explosion you note, perhaps there was a great escape from the insectarium of one of your neighbors. Perhaps one of our readers will properly identify your species. Glad you enjoyed the shirt you got from our generous bandwidth sponsors, Lisa and Daniel, who coincidentally share names with the staff of What's That Bug? Here is Eric's response: "Daniel: Saw the walkingstick already identified, so I figured I was off the hook! Ha! I would not venture a guess. Females (which that specimen is) are much harder to identify than males. I'd definitely contact someone at UC Riverside, or the ARS of the USDA, to make sure this is not something exotic. Does the person still have the specimen? Eric"

Spiny Leaf Insect from Australia
(04/28/2007)
Hi
I am an American living in Japan. I recently spent some time in Queensland, Australia and took this photo of a spiny leaf insect. This was the most spectacular insect I've ever seen.
Melody McFarland



Hi Melody,
Thanks for sending us your great image of a Spiny Leaf Insect, Extatasoma tiaratum. This is a type of Walking Stick.

Muskmare
(03/02/2007)
ok this is the first time i ever seen a spider looking thing poised like this. i found this on our swingset a few days ago. it didnt budge when i touched it. i expected for it to scurry away cause it looked like a spider to me. just a thing a spider would do when u try to touch em. thanks!
dogafin, from FL



Hi Dogafin,
This is a Two-Striped Walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides, also known as a Muskmare. The Muskmare is capable of spraying a noxious substance with incredible accuracy, and we get numerous reports of people and their pets being sprayed in the eye.

Walkingstick from Japan
(01/11/2007) Walkingstick ID question
What a great website! I'm no entomologist by any means, but as a birder, I find myself curious about just about anything else that crosses my path. I photographed this walkingstick in late spring 2005 on the grounds of Hiroshima Shudo University, Hiroshima, Japan. Sorry for the lack of size reference, it was about four inches or so in length. I've got a few more unidentified insects in my photos from that trip, but I figured I'd pace myself and send these in singly over time. Cheers!
Carlos Ross
college student / freelance pop culture journalist / birder
Arizona State University
Tempe, Arizona, USA



Hi Carlos,
Sorry we cannot identify what species this Walkingstick is, but we will post it in the hopes on of our readers can assist. Thank you very much for pacing your images. It makes it very difficult for us to post letters when there are photos that must be archived on multiple pages.

Northern Walkingstick and unidentified Exotic Walkingstick
(12/16/2006) Bug Pictures. Seeking ID.
I have a couple walkingstick pictures I wanted to share with you and others. One is a Northern Walkingstick found while camping in the Monongahela National Forest, WV (Oct 2006). The other is an unknown walking stick acquired at a reptile show in PA. This one is a baby. The parents were present at the show, a single specimen reaching nearly end to end of the 10-gal tank show container. I'd love to know the species and region of origin for this walkingstick. Thanks for your time! Best,
Shell



Hi Shell,
Our grandmother grew up on the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania coal country. Thanks for sending in your photos. We don't know what your exotic Walkingstick specimen is or its country of origin. Perhaps one of our readers can supply an answer. Keep checking back with the site to see if we post an ID.

Update: (12/17/2006)
Hi Bugman,
I did some research and thought that your mysterious exotic walking stick (picture sent in 12/16) may possibly be the Eurycantha calcarata, also known as the New Guinea spiny stick insect. They are from Papau New Guinea. Hope this helps!! Keep up the good work - I am addicted to your wonderful site!!
Stephanie

Gray Walkingstick
(12/02/2006) Identification of insect , grasshopper/cricket, and butterfly
To whom it may concern:
1) I saw an insect on my screen door in Portal, ARIZONA, U.S.A., near Cave Creek Canyon, which is high desert. It stayed on the screen for about 4 hours, hardly moving. It was about 4-5 inches in length ("wood bug on screen"). I THINK IT MIGHT BE IN THE PHASMID FAMILY? Do you have any idea what this insect is called? and any other information about it would be greatly appreciated (photos attached). Thank you very much for your help!
Irene Kitzman MD
Portal, AZ and Hamden, CT



Hi Irene,
To better conform to our [lack of] organization, we will be posting your various queries sepatately. This is indeed a Phasmid. It is a Gray Walkingstick, Pseudosermyle straminea, a desert species. Seems your specimen is missing a front leg.

Spiny Leaf Insect: Australian Phasmid
(10/19/2006) Flesh Fly, Phasmid and moth
Hello there... I sent a photo of a Flesh Fly from Sydney to you yesterday - although at that time I didn't know what kind of fly it was. I don't think I saw any spiny leaf insects on your website, so here's a link to an article I've written which shows my daughter's classroom pets (phasmids), the flesh fly again, and an unknown small moth.. (please help on that last count :) Cheers,
Chris.



Hi Chris,
Sorry, we are really able to only post a fraction of the letters we receive. Your letter requires downloading and posting photos to three different pages on our site as well as the homepage, a taks that will take nearly a half an hour, right now the allotted time we have for the entire website. We are posting your Spiny Leaf Insect, Extatosoma tiaratum, and linking to your site.

Northern Walkingstick
(09/29/2006) pine needle looking insect
Okay, I'm stumped. Can you identify this most awesome example of evolution? This was on my screen one morning in southern New Hampshire. It is the exact size and shape of a couple of pine needles crossed. Cheers,
Dan



Hi Dan,
This master of mimicry is a Northern Walkingstick, Diapheromera femorata.

Walkingsticks Mating
(09/20/2006) Mating Walking Sticks - Insex
Found these two spending a few hours on the outside wall of my house in the Ozarks of Arkansas. I take it these are not the "muskmares" that spray noxious fumes.
Ken



Hi Ken,
You are correct. These are not Muskmares. We believe them to be Northern Walkingsticks, Diapheromera femorata, which range as far south as Northern Florida. There is more information on BugGuide.

Toxic Ecuadorean Phasmid
(09/15/2006) insect from 12300 feet in Andes - Tambopaxi near Cotopaxi volcano
The insects on your web pages have such fascinating morphology and many are so beautiful. Thank you for a wonderful web site. I contacted you earlier about Dutch bugs - I thought you might like to see a beautiful insect (although only adequately photographed) from Tambopaxi which is at 12,300 feet in the Ecuadorian Andes - this is close to the 19,300 foot Cotopaxi volcano. These insects were found under a rock by my son in April 2006. From memory the largest was about 4 cm long. If you know what they are I would love to know. Best Wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Richard



Hi Richard,
Our best guess here is probably some species of Phasmid or Walkingstick. They are rather awesome looking creatures. Eric Eaton wrote to confirm our identification, but sadly, we have lost his exact words. He added that this is probably a toxic species based on the coloration.

Newly Molted Walkingstick
(09/05/2006) Walking Stick
I took this photo of a young walking stick the other day. It is the first time I ever saw one actually molting. It was on a rose bush in our garden here in Northwest Arkansas. I suppose it had to hang there exposed until its new exoskeleton hardened. It is obviously a good deal larger than its old skin that is attached to the rose leaf.
Larry



Hi Larry,
Thank you for sending us your contribution. Like other arthropods, Walkingsticks cannot grow until their hard exoskeleton is shed, which allows room for expansion.

Two Striped Walkingstick
(09/05/2006) what's this bug?
Bugman,
My son found this stick like bug hiding behind the gutter. He coaxed it out and onto a stick. You can see how long it is. I would say it was about 5 inches in length from head to tail. When we poked with a stick or moved the stick it was on too much, the bug would emit a smoke from its back. It smelled bad. Can you identify it?
Rgds,
Dan O'Brien



Hi Dan,
If the noxious spray secreted by the Two Striped Walkingstick gets in your eye, you might be in for a stinging surprise.

A Mating Frenzy of Two-Lined Walkingsticks
(09/01/2006) A lek of two-lined walking sticks?
You run a great website, and I was able to use it to identify these insects as Two-lined Walkingsticks, Anisomorpha buprestoides. But I've never seen them in a group like this, so I thought you might be interested in seeing them. Have you ever seen them do this? A whole bunch of walking sticks were grouped together on a palm frond which vines had curled over somewhat. They were making clicking sounds and it looked like the males were fighting with each other to mate, hitting each other with their front legs. Here are the pictures, which
I took at Biven's Arm Nature Park in Gainesville, FL.
Gary



Hi Gary,
We are impressed with what looks to be a mating frenzy of Muskmares. We will see if Eric Eaton has an opinion on this strange occurrence. Eric responded with this: "Well, chemically-defended insects tend to benefit by aggregating like this, to re-inforce warning colors, and/or pool their resources. Remember, this species can squirt a very irritating chemical at an attacker, discharging this milky substance from glands in its 'neck.' You do not want this substance in your eyes. Walkingsticks stay paired for hours, often days in fact, so that is not terribly unusual by itself. Eric"

Lost in the Archives: Colorful Weevil and Spiny Walkingstick from New Guinea
(07/24/2007) Bugs in Papua New Guinea
Hi there,
I was wondering if you new what these bug are? Last year I lived in a small village on the northern side of PNG for 5 months, and took these photos while out and about. Thanks
Tom Honeyman



Hi Tom,
First we have to apologize for the lengthy delay. Your letter was lost in the archive until our new email system revealed your gorgeous photos. Daniel, our generous web host, devised a new email system that would be more efficient. This new system allows us to see images before reading emails, so we can choose the most gorgeous and interesting images. Your photos are stunning, and it took us some time to match them with the email from long ago since the system is effective with new letters, but there was a problem with the archive. The blue beetle is a Weevil in the genus Eupholus. There are quite a few members of this genus in New Guinea, but your photo matches a specimen called Eupholus geoffroyi that we located online on the Papua Insects Foundation. Your other insect is most definitely a Phasmid or Walkingstick. New Guinea has one species, Eurycantha calcarata, known as the Spiny Devil, but it is much more robust than your photo. We found a much closer match on the Papua Insects Foundation phasmid page, but sadly, it was not identified. Perhaps someone will be able to identify this amazing spiny Walkingstick.

Giant Walkingsticks Mating
(08/07/2006) Walking sticks
I went to let the dog out and discovered these two on my door handle...I have been around walking sticks my whole life but have never seen any this brilliant. Is there a reason for their brilliant color or are they a different variety than the plain brown ones? You probably can't tell by the picture but the female was huge. We don't see them that big here very often. Thanks
Melody



Hi Melody,
You didn't tell us where "here" is, so we are guessing Texas. We are thrilled to get your highly detailed photo of Giant Walkingsticks, Megaphasma dentricus, mating. You can even make out the spiny ridge along the lower surface of the femora. This is the largest North American Walkingstick.

Texas is close but I am in Mountain Home Arkansas....
Melody

Hi again Melody,
You are in the range. They actually range as far north as Indiana, but are more common in the South.

Unknown Walkingstick identified as Indian Walkingstick
(07/24/2006) Walking Stick
Hi there,
I was just wondering about a walking stick that I found this morning in my front yard. I live in El Cerrito, Ca. Is it common around my area? Do you know the name of the species? Also It's about 3" long. Thank you for your time.
Gavin Lee



Hi Gavin,
Are you Gavin Lee the photographic artist who is a friend of Nechelle Wong? Sadly, we don't recognize your species of Walkinstick as it does not match the two species Charles Hogue identifies from Los Angeles. Perhaps it is an escaped exotic. We will see if our favorite expert Eric Eaton has an opinion. Here is Eric's response: "Oh, and the walkingstick....reminds me most of the western short-horned walkingstick, Parabacillus hesperus, but could easily be something else. Walkingstick diversity in the southwest is surprisingly high." Eric later retracted his possible identification. Seems the antennae are too long. Here is what Eric wrote: "Gee, I don't think I correctly identified that walkingstick from El-whatever, Califiornia. It could well be something exotic. Any chance he captured the thing? If so, I would suggest he make haste to his closest state agriculture person. You might even want to e-mail the image yourself to someone in the state ag department, or Doug Yanega at UC Riversice (dyanega@ucr.edu). I'll watch the site for updates on that one. Eric"

Hey Daniel,
The unknown walkingstick is an Indian Walkingstick, Carausius morosus. It's from India and it's eggs can be purchased on eBay as fish food.

Muskmare
(07/16/2006) Great Site!
I loved your site - but as you were featured in Real Simple Magazine, I'm afraid you will be more swamped. question: I live in Houston TX and what I thought was a fat walking stick found in the garage after heavy rains is probably a water scorpion that I put on the begonias. Luckily for me, he was lethargic. Is he really a water scorpion?
Kat Sundberg
Houston, TX



Hi Kat,
The Two-Striped Walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides, is also known as a Muskmare or Devil Rider. This species can spray a noxious substance that will burn the eyes temporarily, and they have very good aim. We tried to pick Real Simple up at the news stand, but they only had the July issue.

Giant Walkingstick
(06/15/2006) stick bug
This is the most unusual stick bug I have seen to date; it is about 9 inches long and the color is really green.
Wayne



Hi Wayne,
Our sources list the Giant Walkingstick, Megaphasma dentricus, as reaching 5 7/8 inches, so your specimen is a trophey for sure.

Muskmare and her stallion!!! Mating Walkingsticks
(03/31/2006) Musk-mare
Here’s a photo of a musk-mare – didn’t know what it was ‘till I found your website. Thought you’d like a decent photo of the pair. Also, you helped me identify a mole cricket today. Strangest thing I’ve seen in a while. Thanks.
Gene Browning
Melbourne FL



Hi Gene,
Your photo of Mating Two-Lined Walkingsticks, or Muskmares, is great. Stay clear of the noxious fluid they are capable of spraying into your eyes.

Panamanian Walking Stick
(03/21/2006)
Hi,
Here is another Panamanian bug. This cute walking stick climbed up my arm and into my hair. Something about my hair made him open his wings. I didn't know walkingsticks have wings. Here are some pictures to add to your collection.
Lisa



Hi Again Lisa,
We were trying to catch up with some old mail and came across your letter. Many tropical Walkingsticks have wings and are capable of flight, though the U.S. species lack wings.

Panamanian Mystery Phasmid
(03/18/2006) Hi!
I am living in the country of Panama and work in a limestone quarry located inside some pretty dense rain forest. I see all kinds of weird unidentifiable (By me anyways!) bugs and had nobody to ask about them. I don't like to kill them; only photograph them. I have several different bugs collected. Some very, very strange ones too. I would love to know more about them. Here are some pictures of one of them. I love the way this one "hides". Pretty impressive. It was taken in March of 2004. I have others, but I think I can only fit one at a time.
Thank you,
Lisa Palm
Buena Vista, Colon, Panama
PS. Oh yeah... I would love to know if it is poisonous



Hi Again Lisa,
We are loving all the exotica you are sending from Panama. We went back to your original letter on this one. That letter was waiting for our limited allotment of attention as we do not have a definitive answer for you. We suspect this is some species of Phasmid, the order that contains Walkingstick and Timemas. Some Walkingsticks, including the Musk Mare from the American South, can spray a noxious fluid that will temporarily irritate the eyes. We would like Eric Eaton to take a look at this critter because we always turn to him when we are in doubt.

Walkingstick from Madagascar
(02/12/2006) Animal in Madagaskar
Hello,
I'm asking from Germany for Identification of this animal I found in the rainforest near Andasibe / Perinet in Madagaskar. Thank you very much.
Yours
Christian



Hi Christian,
The Walkingstick you photographed in Madagascar is missing a front leg.

Muskmare
(11/12/2005) Walkingstick Photo
We found this fascinating Walkingstick in the parking lot at St Andrews State Park, located in Panama City, Florida.  My mother picked it up and moved it to the brush so it wouldn't get run over.   I came upon your website while trying to identify the bug - and now we know about it defense mechanism.  Fortunately, this one didn't feel threatened enough to spray us.  Now that we know, we'll certainly be more careful handling them in the future.   Anyhow, I just wanted to share this picture with you and let you know how helpful your website is. 
Thank you! 
Suzanna Giddens



Hi Suzanna,
WE are very happy to find out the Muskmare didn't spray your mother in the eye.

Timema
(09/27/2005) MYSTERY DESERT INSECT
Mystery Insect
I found this insect while camping in the desert in southeastern California. Its colored exactly like the rock formations in that area. I caught it on a fence post in April of 2004 but it died on the way home. I've been collecting insects since I was 5 but I can't figure out what this is. I thought it might be an immature cricket (without jumping legs!?).  The specimen in the pic is 1/2 an inch long and had antennae that were about as long as the body and similar to a cricket's. Please help. Thanx for any info.
Myke Miazio
San Diego,CA



Hi Myke,
This is a relative of Walkingsticks known as a Timema. They are found in the west and feed on oaks, ceanothus and firs.

Mating Northern Walkingsticks
(09/25/2005) Walking Sticks
I found these while hiking.  I thought it interesting that the male and female looked so different! I was on a hike in the Hoosier National Forest, near Paoli, IN.
Chad



Hi Chad,
We believe these are mating Northern Walkingsticks, Diapheromera femorata. We are waiting for a confirmation on that identification from Eric Eaton.

Two-Striped Walking Stick
(09/15/2005) bug ID, please...
We found this bug on the wall in a bathroom at the state park on Galveston Island, Texas.  It is about 7mm long.  It is very dark brown.  It does not appear to have wings. We have taken some time to try to identify him and found several other insects for my son's insect project on your site.  We thought he was a Rove Beetle, but the size doesn't match the descriptions we have seen.  We are now stumped.  Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated!  I enjoyed browsing your site.
Jane



Hi Jane,
We wrote to Eric Eaton to get an exact species on your Walking Stick. Here is his answer: "Yep, two-striped walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides.  You know they can spray an obnoxious liquid from glands in their "neck," right? People who encounter them should be careful.  The spray can cause temporary blindness.  They're pretty accurate, too! Eric"

Mating Muskmares
(08/20/2005) Safe or unsafe bug in SC?
Hello:
My name is Bob Stark and I've recently moved to Little River, SC (North Myrtle Beach). This is a picture of an insect which we've been told is poisonous, and I would like to know if that is correct.  Our home is 4 miles from the shore, and our backyard is bordered by a field.  I'm guessing that the smaller one is the male, and that since this is late summer, it is mating season.  Am I correct? This insect clings to our siding and at night, will cling on our screens, if we have an inside light on. When we moved in, the local movers refused to bring our furniture through the garage until we removed this insect, claiming it was poisonous.  Our dog approached it, and apparently got sprayed in the face as she got near.  I; however, got no reaction as I moved it along off our home. Thank you in advance for any information you may be able to provide as to it's name and safety, as our Grandson visits from time to time, and I would like to provide him with the correct stats on this insect.  For example: does is bite, sting, spray?
Sincerely,
Bob Stark



Hi Bob,
This is a pair of Two-lined Walkingsticks, Anisomorpha buprestoides, also known as Musk-Mares or Devil Riders because of their habit of remaining in coitus for extremely long periods of time. The male is much smaller than the female. Beware!! They do not bite but they can spray a noxious substance from their necks that is painful if it gets in your eye.

Walkingstick
(08/19/2005) Walking Stick? ....or just a stick!
Hi.  Wow!  I love your site!  First one that I’ve found that shows a variety of pictures of each type of insect/bug.   Is this a walking stick….or my imagination?  It only has two pair of legs.
Thanks!  Linda Denny



Hi Linda,
It is not your imagination, but a for real Walking Stick. The third pair of legs is being carried foreward near the head which adds to the camouflage.

Muskmares Mating
(08/12/2005) I am the rude person that sent you a photo a few minutes ago with no question or anything.  sorry.  Sometimes, I get excited.  I found this insect (or creature) this morning next to the door going into our shed.  He is still in the same position this afternoon.  The interesting thing about this creature is that the lighter line going up his back, is actually curved over as if it were a tail?????  I live in Ohatchee, Calhoun County, Alabama which is Northeast Alabama. Do you know what this creature is? 
Thank you so very much
Martha Tucker



Hi Martha,
This isn't one insect, but a pair. The smaller male Walkingstick is mounting the Musk Mare.

Muskmare	Orthopteran

Walkingsticks: Intimate Moment
(07/07/2005) Hi there,
I love your website, and find myself checking it regularly. I thought  you might like a couple of photos I took. The walking sticks are clearly happy and content on my house wall.
Grace E. Pedalino
Troy, Virginia



Hi Grace,
And by the look of your intimate moment photo, there will be a new generation of Walkingsticks next year. Also check out Grace's great Preying Mantis photo and maternal Wolf Spider.

Musk-Mare Walkingstick and her stallion
(06/19/2005) What's this bug?
I have never seen anything like this bug.  It literally looks like a piece of wood.  Being that I'm in Florida, I don't know if it flew away, hopped away or got eaten by something even bigger.  By the way, does it bite?  Does it eat wood? Yes, I still have a door!   Or, is it just hanging around waiting for it's next meal?



Your "It" is acutally "Them". You have a pair of Two-lined Walkingsticks, Anisomorpha buprestoides, also known as Musk-Mares or Devil Riders because of their habit of remaining in coitus for extremely long periods of time, as witnessed in your photograph. Beware!! They do not bite but they can spray a noxious substance from their necks that is painful if it gets in your eye. We are toying with the idea of adding a "Sex" or "Love among the Bugs" page to our site and we will definitely use your image when that day arrives.

So my "it" was a "them" doing "it!"  Too funny!  Not only was your website helpful; but, very educational as well.   Thank you so much for your help. 

Musk-Mare Walkingstick
(06/04/2005) found a bug in my garage
I found this bug in my garage that caught me by surprise.  When I moved it with my broom, it started to attack the broom with it's stinger.  Creeped me out!!      
Tony



Hi Tony,
We wrote to Eric Eaton to see if he could give us a species name for your Walkingstick. He wrote: "This is indeed a walkingstick, specifically Anisomorpha buprestoides, and a female.  The species goes by regional names like "devil-rider" and "musk-mare," in reference to the fact that mating pairs can remain coupled for days at a time; also, they can squirt a potent, foul, milky substance from glands in their neck.  If they hit you in the eye it is truly painful, aparently not damaging otherwise." The Walkingstick doesn't have a stinger, but you want to steer clear of that noxious secretion.

Walkingsticks as pets
(02/01/2005) stick bugs
We have some stick bugs as pets. we started out with four and had them a good long time. one by one they died, and we put their cage away. some time later we went to use the cage for a toad the kids found and to our surprise there were baby stick bugs in it. well we ended up with four nice size stick bugs again. we love them , they make great little pets. our question is , how will we know if they laid eggs? and what do the eggs look like? I hope when we lose the ones we have it will not be the end of our bugs.
thank you for any help you can give me.
Mary  in Montana



Hi Mary,
Walkingsticks, Family Phasmidae, are much more common in the South than the North, which is probably why you have the Northern Walkingstick, Diapheromera femorata. The males grow to 3 inches and females to 3 3/4 inches in length. They range north to Alberta Canada. They will eat the leaves of many deciduous trees but especially like oak and hazelnut. The female drops her eggs singly and they overwinter among ground litter, hatching in the spring. I guess someone never cleaned the cage before putting it away which is why you wound up with nymphs for a second generation of pets. I have heard that when there is a large population of Walkingsticks laying eggs in the forest, the eggs dropping sound like falling rain.

Walkingstick
(09/07/2004) Bug questions
Hello.
Could you please tell me what this bug is.  I think it may be called a stick bug, but I'm not sure.  This one was about seven inches long and hanging out on my
sliding glass door.  Very creepy.  Do they bite or sting?  
Thanks much.  
Dianne



Beautiful Walking Stick photo Dianne,
They do not bite, but some Florida species are known to spray a noxious fluid when disturbed.  Your specimen is benign.

(06/07/2004) Texas Walkingstick
Attached is also a picture of one of many walkingsticks roaming around.
Thank you for your help,
Darin, Melissa and Spencer

We just got this photo in.

(11/15/2003) Kind of like a Walkingstick
Hi,
I would like to see if you can identify an insect for us. Sorry I have no picture, so I will try to describe it. As near as I can describe, it is like a fat walking stick. Usually about 2 inches long, 1/4 to 3/8" wide in the middle, brownish in color, and with a smaller version (1 inch long and skinny) riding piggy back. They were sighted climbing pine trees in central Arkansas.
thanks for your help,
Jon

Dear Jon,
Close relatives of the Walkingsticks are a group of insects known as Timemas, Family Timemidae. They differ from Walkingsticks in being smaller and more robust in form. There is a great deal of guessing and speculation concernin the habits of this insect and many have reported it as feeding on coniferous trees. All forms are arboreal, and while they may be found on all kinds of trees during the mating season in May and June, they apparently feed largely in not entirely on deciduous trees. Our California species are a bright leaf green with occasional decidedly pink specimens. It has been reported that other species are brownish in color. Here is an image I downloaded of specimens in a collection.

(11/10/2003)
I came across a walking stick insect while pruning my fruitless cherry tree. I live in Maryland and was wandering what is the specific epithet and if there are any hazards with handling them ?
Below is a photo.
Thanks,
Steve Hawk

Hi steve,
We just recieved a letter from a reader in Florida who was sprayed by a Two-lined Walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides. It seems this particular species has a defense mechanism that doesn't do any permanent damage, but causes temporary vision problems and discomfort. A northern species, Diapheromera femorata, is fond of cherry as well as some other tree. Unlike some of the tropical species, it is wingless. To our knowledge, they are harmless, though they feed on the leaves of trees. Rarely are they numerous enough to cause any damage to the tree. They are slow moving herbivorous insects that are usually found on trees or shrubs. Many species are able to emit a foul smelling substance from the glands in the thorax. Unlike most insects, Walking Sticks are able to regenerate lost legs. The eggs are laid by simply scattering them to the ground, and when the egg laying females are plentiful, their group egg laying can sound like falling rain. The females are generally larger than the males.

Two-lined Walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides
What's this Bug? Please Help Us Identify It
(10/6/2003)
Can you identify a black & white bug that ranges in size from 4" to1". They ride together piggy-back style (smaller one on top).We live in the Central FL region. This afternoon my husband's facewas 6" away from a pair (they were on our gate when he was attempting to close it) and they shot outa stream of liquid into his eye. He said it felt like hot pepper in his eye.Any idea what this horrible insect is? We have seen hundreds of these around our house and in other peoples yards. BTW, he rinsed his eye and it seems to be okay, but we are very interested in this nasty bug.
Thank you.
Jane Pearce

Dear Jane,
Two things. Is it possible to send a photo? Also, are you saying the insects are from 4 to 1 inches in length? that is huge, four inches. Please clarify.
Thanks

Yes, I am saying the bug on bottom is usually 4" long and they eitherhave a baby on top, or perhaps "a significant other". They are black with two white lines on top. After looking at all the pictures of bugs I canfind, I would say they are in the Mantis family (but what do I know?). We called our Fl Extension Office but the bug guy had left for the day.I am sure our local guy will know what this bug is, since we have seen many around our area. If you are interested, as soon as I find out the name, I'll let you know. Unfortunately, I can't send you a photo at this time. I just sorta of freaked when the nasty thing spewed something out into my husband's eye, which burned. Your website was one of the first I cameupon. What state are you in?
Thanks and will let you know what we find out locally.
Jane

Please keep us informed, and we would love to have a photo. I have never heard of mantids spewing anything. Bombadier beetles will exude a substance from the anus, but they are tiny. Certain spiders can spit venom. The position you describe is the mating position, and in many insects the male is the smaller partner. This is true of mantids. Might it be a type ofwalking stick? Try doing a web search of that. Let us know whatever you find out.
Have a nice day.
Daniel

Daniel:
I guess the nasty bug is a "walking stick" like you suggested. Here is a picture of one that "attacked" my husband. Most of the ones in our yard have mates on top (yes, the smaller one on top is the male we have learned). We contacted our County Extension Agent and she said they consider them to be "good" bugs. We do not since they really cause a nasty burning sensation when they spray people. I also contacted Univ of FL for more info. Will keep you informed if we learn anything else about them.
Thanks. Jane

Editor's Note: Jane continued to do research and just got the following email from the University of Florida which clarified the spraying:
Dr. Hoy forwarded your message to me.  It's the two-lined walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides .  In the case of the pairs, they are mating, and the smaller one on top is the male.  It's a common walkingstick in much of Florida, but you do have to be careful with them.  As you already know, they will spray an acidic defensive chemical from the end of their abdomen.  They often aim for the eyes, and the chemical can cause pain and temporary blindness.  Pets often experience this.  They feed on foliage, probably of various hardwood trees and shrubs.  I've kept them in captivity for a while and fed them oak leaves.  In the populations around the Ocala National Forest, the stripes are a much brighter shade of cream/white than in other parts of the state.  If you have internet access, take a look at these websites for pictures and more info:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.watson/psg12.htm
http://www.woodbat.co.uk/am.htm
Lyle Buss
Insect Identification Laboratory
Department of Entomology & Nematology
University of Florida