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Post by zionmantis on Jun 26, 2021 12:32:35 GMT -8
I found this amazing friend clinging to my fence! It was full on the size of my hand's width with my fingers spread (about six inches). Link to image - ibb.co/V3R3ytR |
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Post by livingplanet3 on Jun 26, 2021 12:42:35 GMT -8
I found this amazing friend clinging to my fence! It was full on the size of my hand's width with my fingers spread (about six inches). Link to image - ibb.co/V3R3ytRWhere are you located? It looks like Megaphasma denticrus - bugguide.net/node/view/85378 |
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Post by zionmantis on Jun 26, 2021 14:34:40 GMT -8
So sorry; I thought I had said--Central Texas. I wrote and rewrote my first post so many times xD
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Post by zionmantis on Jun 26, 2021 14:35:56 GMT -8
It does look like a giant walking stick; I'd initially thought it wasn't because the ones I saw a pic of were green. Are those different varieties, or do they change color in their lifetime???
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Post by livingplanet3 on Jun 26, 2021 14:53:05 GMT -8
It does look like a giant walking stick; I'd initially thought it wasn't because the ones I saw a pic of were green. Are those different varieties, or do they change color in their lifetime??? If in Central TX, it's definitely Megaphasma denticrus. In this species, the males are usually strongly green, and the color of the females is variable, sometimes reddish brown, and I've even seen some that look rather blue-green. |
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Post by zionmantis on Jun 26, 2021 22:42:23 GMT -8
Thank you SO much! You're perfect!
I understand now why when I was looking at these Texas insects on google, trying to figure out what this was, I kept thinking it wasn't that because the photos shown were mostly the green male fellas.
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Post by livingplanet3 on Jun 27, 2021 7:30:25 GMT -8
Thank you SO much! You're perfect! I understand now why when I was looking at these Texas insects on google, trying to figure out what this was, I kept thinking it wasn't that because the photos shown were mostly the green male fellas. In years past, I've seen large numbers of this species in certain parts of the oak forests (oak is their main host plant) around my area. But, especially large broods seem to be cyclical - it definitely doesn't happen every year, and it's probably been around 15 years since I last saw it. There were so many of them at that time, that you could hear the eggs dropping like rain down onto the leaf litter on the forest floor. The eggs are quite small, with a white band and distinctly sculptured operculum (the cap that pops off and allows the hatchling to get out) - www.phasmatodea.com/megaphasma-denticrus-lafayette#lg=1&slide=46 |
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