Subject: Stick Bug?
Geographic location of the bug: Gulf Coast Texas
Date: 06/28/2021
Time: 03:04 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Found this huge (fat) stick Bug looking insect on my front door late at night. It had a baby on it’s back as well. First time seeing this type of bug here.
How you want your letter signed: Thanks for any info.
That ain’t no baby on her back. The larger insect is a Female Two-Striped Walkingstick in the genus Anisomorpha and the smaller insect is her diminutive mate. Two-Striped Walkingsticks are often observed mating, which has led to the common name Muskmare. According to BugGuide: “Members of this genus can deliver a chemical spray to the eyes that can cause corneal damage” so you should exercise caution when closely observing them.