A local lady poet of note, Jane Elsdon, recently forwarded via the internet a series of photos taken around the world of various animals — insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and a few mammals — who fit in so well within different environments that they achieve almost unbelievable camouflage. There was one bug omitted from the pictures, and it deserves our attention: stick insects.
Through pictures and television nature shows, I knew of their existence. Even so, from childhood on, the opportunity to view one up close or study their taxonomy never arose. In fact, I had long assumed them to be rare and limited to tropical climates. You know what some people say about assumers, huh? No, well ask around 'cuz I'm not gonna detour here to explain.
Photo by Ken Solomon |
Anyway, one morning a few weeks ago while moving some wood, I suddenly froze. Right under my eyeballs was a two-inch stick bug, dark gray, barely swaying to present the illusion that a slight breeze had stimulated the motion. Yes, right here in San Luis Obispo County, a living stick bug. Where did it come from, and how many more might there be in this territory? In my twenty-six years in this area, I had not seen a solitary specimen or even talked to someone who claimed to witness one. (Oddly, after finishing this article, a member of my writing group announced that the Atascadero Zoo offers a display of stick insects. Why am I always the last to be told of such items?)
The above question led me to the 'puter, where I soon encountered enough info to fill my mind and now yours with a plethora of factual data. Allow me to summarize: Under the Order of Phasmida — as in phantom apparitions — stick and leaf insects are herbivorous, eating mainly leaves. Mostly nocturnal, thus seldom noticed during the day, they often lurk within/under plants. Until recently, insectologists felt certain that of all 2,500 species known (just over 30 species in U.S. & Canada), their size ranged from one-half inch long to a specimen from Borneo that measured thirteen inches in length and held the record for years. But a recent discovery, also in Borneo, named "Chan's Megastick" currently holds the record. The "Megastick" has a body length of 14 inches and a total length of twenty-two inches with legs extended. Whew!
Chan's Megastick
What an unlikely coincidence in seeing my stick bug, and then days later The Week (a news magazine) closed the April 13th issue with an article on "The Lazarus bug," a giant stick insect thought to be extinct since 1960. Accidentally rediscovered on the edge of an old volcano off Australia, it grows as large as a human hand and had been used by indigenous peoples for fish bait. Consequently, it has been tagged as a "tree lobster."
Please do not label me a sexist if I'm simply relaying factual information. But, it is written that the females of the stick bug persuasions are generally larger, better mimic their surroundings, AND can regenerate parthenogenetically. True, all such eggs hatch into females, but nature allows the males to introduce their gender if one strays into the neighborhood.
Additionally, even if none of the Phasmida bite or sting, one of the groups can emit a putrid smell. Not that you should casually pick one up for closer inspection. All stick insects defensively shed their limbs quicker than a lizard dropping its tail when that member is touched by a predator.
Under Google, a Ms. Debbie Hadley sits near the top of primary contributors re: stick insects. She lists "10 Cool Facts" about the creature. Check them out, and then you might want to click onto other sites. I certainly don't have any desire to stand alone in admiring such a noble, albeit passive, representative of the insect family.
PS: A few days ago, my blue jay seasonal companions once more returned to the squiredom from wherever they winter. With his same companion, Brazen announced the arrival with the ritual squawk that translates into where's our peanuts? See Feathered Impudence u/Archives, Dec. 2010
