by Bee Harris, PWL Member
Walkingsticks are stick-like insects. They are herbivores. One Texas species, the Megaphasma dentricus can grow up to 7 inches, making this species the longest insect in the U.S.
A good way to learn the secret life of walkingsticks is to house them as pets. This is my story.
I was given 3 Malaysian walkingsticks, was told they could never be released into the wild and received simple care instructions.
Instructions:
Use a terrarium with screen cover for housing. Feed fresh lettuce. Place a shallow dish or lid at the bottom of the tank for water. –Simple enough.
I placed the terrarium in a high traffic area where I could keep an eye on them.
My observations:
For most of the day, they remained immobile. However, every now and then, one would sway like a branch in the wind.
Problems:
The lettuce leaf wilted quickly. I bought a lettuce head with roots –kept it in its container and added water to the plant as needed.
After a month, I bought a tiny broom (paint brush) to sweep the poop pellets and molt up. This caused little disturbance; although occasionally, I would see a walkingstick sway.
Everything went smoothly. However, they were so inactive that watching them was boring. I wondered what gender they were. I read up on walking sticks; I had females.
One cleaning day, I noticed a translucent white speck moving across the terrarium. What was that? With my nose against the glass, I noticed a teeny tiny walkingstick. It had the same anatomy as a full grown one. Were there more? Yes! And yes, and yes! I counted —7. Then, a terrible thought came to me –had I been ignorantly sweeping up eggs along with the poop? How many had I lost?
I began reading again. Hatchlings drown in just a few drops of water. What was I to do? I covered the water dish with screen –that didn’t work. I grabbed a tiny lid and filled it with water –that didn’t work. I bought a mister. Several times a day, I misted the lettuce and the walls of the terrarium. I saw nymphs drink. The adults didn’t seem to mind the change.
I enjoyed caring for walkingsticks. After 17 months, I gave them over to a middle school science teacher. I hope my insects have grown through many generations.
Walkingstick Facts:
- They have a lifespan of 2 years.
- About 75% of walkingsticks are females. In several species, if there isn’t a male around, they will produce the next generation of females without them (reproducing parthenogenetically).
- They sway their stick form to confuse predators.
- Males are smaller than females.
- Adults are most active at night, nymphs during the day.
- Some walkingsticks will detach a leg, to get away, and grow another one in its place during molting.
- Some species release a scent as a deterrent.
- Some have bright colored wings they use to scare predators away.
- We should be careful around one native North American walkingstick species that can cause temporary eye injury (termed chemical conjunctivitis) by shooting a white smelly venom. It shoots it, with good accuracy from its rear end, directly into predator eyes. This gives it a better chance to escape. Description of the Two-Stripe walkingstick is as follows: its camouflage stick form has two long stripes on a long dark wide body.
Family Pseudophasmatidae – Striped Walkingsticks
Anisomorpha buprestoides Southern Two-striped Walkingstick 39-77 mm. E. Texas -Florida -S. Carolina
Anisomorpha ferruginea Northern Two-striped Walking Stick 30-36 mm. E. Texas -Florida -Virginia -Kansas
If you have any questions about creating a habitat for walkingsticks, you may contact me. And do enjoy having walking sticks in your garden. They are lovely to study, as they sleep among the foliage –Bee Harris
For further reading:
Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. https://texasinsects.tamu.edu/walkingsticks/
Texas Standard article by Laura Race. Jan 5, 2022.
Texas Entomology. Texas Walkingstick Information compiled by Mike Quinn. July 2012. https://www.texasento.net/sticks.htmhttps://genent.cals.ncsu.edu/insect-identification/order-phasmatodea/