By: Kristel Usener
Member of the Big Country Master Gardeners
An insect that you probably have walked by and not even noticed–the bug of the month is the Walking Stick. Walking Sticks are in the Animal Kingdom, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta and the Order Phasmida. The ordinal name, Phasmida, is derived from the Greek phasma, referring to their phantom-like behavior. Walking Sticks can seem to appear or disappear readily, and many species will sway back and forth like a ghost or wave in the wind when disturbed.
There are about 3,000 species of these slow-moving insects that have a color of brown or green and bear a striking resemblance to twigs, which is a protective device for this insect. Walking sticks are found on every continent except Antarctica. The walking sticks found in the tropics are the largest and most abundant. Depending on the species, walking sticks can grow from 1 to 12 inches long. We have a fair share of these insects that reside in the Big Country.
There are some species that are parthenogenic, which means they do not need a male to reproduce. The females will fertilize the eggs on their own and randomly drop them on the ground. Most species complete their life cycle in a single year. In my research, it is also suggested that there are some species that are more abundant every two years, which means the eggs require two years to fully develop.
Walking sticks have a long, narrow thorax and an extended abdomen. None of the species in Texas have wings. Their heads have mandibulate mouthparts and long antenna but lack the hearing organ for insects. Walking sticks do have the ability to regenerate legs and antennae, which is uncommon among insects. Walking sticks are herbivores. Rarely do walking sticks cause enough damage to tree leaves, etc. to be considered pests.
Our area can have the Northern Walkingstick, Gray Walkingstick and/or Giant Walkingstick. The Northern Walkingstick can be brown, gray or green in color and is usually found where there are oak trees. Gray Walkingsticks can be found near sagebush, grass and burroweed. Giant Walkingstick is the longest American insect and can be up to 15 cm long. They can be found on juniper and oak trees.
BCMGA offers several education programs each month. There is a program at 6:00 p.m. on the 1st Tuesday of the month at the South Library Branch in the Mall of Abilene, and the same program is offered again at 10:00 a.m. on the 2nd Friday of the month at the Downtown Library. Watch the BCMGA website and Facebook page for the topics and the dates of these monthly programs.
If you have any questions, call the Taylor County Extension Office at 325-672-6048 or email us at mgardeners@yahoo.com. We hope you visit our website at bcmgtx.org for information on all Big Country Master Gardener events, like us on BCMGA Facebook, and check out training presentations on BCMGA YouTube. We are here to help you.
Until next week, Happy Gardening!
