Sunday, I was in the driveway getting ready to vacuum the van. It gets pretty dirty from all the plants and treasures I haul home. Just as I plugged in the electrical cord I saw it... a walking stick climbing the side of the house, inches from my nose. My brain began processing. Could I get a picture of it?
"Don't move," I said to him, "I'll be right back." Luckily, he "hung" around. I am not sure when I saw one of these last. It's been years I'm sure, or decades, or several decades and a few years and months, and hours. In fact, it was August 1966. I was still in the womb, so I guess Mom saw it.
This is my visitor, it is the one on the right.....in case you thought my hand looked like an insect.
Which end is up?
Look at all those twiggy joints.
Which leg moves first?
I bet he has to wear a belt to keep his pants up.
Is there a part missing? He looks lopsided.
I had to google walking sticks:
A Walking Stick adapts to its surroundings by appearing to be a twig. It is only active at night. It has claws and suction pads on its feet to climb stems and branches.
Nymphs can regrow or regenerate a leg pulled off while escaping a predator. Each time it molts, the lost limb gradually grows back. After three or four molts the lost limb is completely grown back, a little shorter than the original.
When an antenna is lost, the Stick Insect grows a new leg in its place. Adults no longer molt, so only nymphs can replace body parts this way.
Males of the Giant Spiny Stick Insect species are also called Thorny Devils.
Hm, I have heard of men called something like that, but it wasn't "thorny".
I am going for a walk. Bye bye.
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