Encounter with a Walking Stick Insect

I was quite charmed to encounter a walking stick (Phasmatodea) yesterday, clinging to the west side of the garage. I used to see walking sticks, grasshoppers, and preying mantises all the time when I was a child. Now I hardly ever see them.

He seemed to be brave, and didn't flinch or move an inch as I brought the camera close and shot different angles.




They make good pets! -- according to Wikipedia.

They're tame and like to sit on your hand, but they're fragile, so pick them up very carefully. If you can teach them tricks, or how to do various light chores around the house, be sure to tell me all about it.

Is it true that they've got a keen, if sarcastic, sense of humor? That walking stick insects do so many comical things, you'll be turning the TV off early at night, just to sit and watch the show they put on for you?

Let's see what Wikipedia says about walking stick insects...

[QUOTE]

Many stick insects are easy to care for, and make good pets. Almost 300 species have been reared in captivity.

The most commonly kept, the Indian (or Laboratory) stick insect, Carausius morosus, requires a tall (25+ cm) vivarium (even a jar with a few holes punched in the top), some bramble, ivy, privet and lettuce and an atmosphere at room temperature.

Indian stick insects are almost all female with only a few half-males (gynandromorphs) and these are not needed for reproduction. They reproduce by parthenogenesis and seem content living on their own. All stick insects moult and may eat the shed skin. By the sixth moult the Indian stick insect will lay eggs.

Many of the other species of phasmids kept in captivity will feed on bramble. However, some are very specialist feeders and are therefore more difficult to rear.

Beginners often make the mistake of thinking all species will feed on privet (the plant most commonly used to feed the Indian stick insect), in fact few species feed on this. Most of the privet feeders on the Phasmid Study Group's culture list belong to the family Pseudophasmatidae and are from South America, several of these will also feed on hebe.

The few members of the family Aschiphasmatidae that have been reared have to be fed on fuchsia, willow herb, or evening primrose. Some of the species in the subfamily Necrosciinae will only feed on hypericum.

[END QUOTE]


What creatures from your childhood do you wish you saw more often?







Was he holding still, thinking I'd capture him and make him my pet? Did he want to live in my house and run a variety of errands for me?


Here are some photos of tame walking stick insect pets you see around, here and there...