Walkingsticks / Stickbugs
Walkingsticks, stickbugs, and stick insects all are names given to insects in the order Phasmatodea. The order also includes leaf insects, but those are not found in Texas. Phasmids are found all over the world with the exception of Antarctica. They tend to be most abundant in tropical and subtropical areas. These insects have body design that provides natural camouflage which can protect against predators by disguising their form to blend with plants they live on. Some species have secondary defense mechanisms such as startle responses, unpalatable excretions, or spines.
Phasmids have incomplete life cycles with three stages- egg, nymph, and adult. In Texas, eggs hatch out in spring, nymphs cycle through instars/ stages, and adult, mated females lay eggs in fall that hatch the following spring. Some walkingsticks are parthenogenic and do not require egg fertilization to produce offspring.
Walkingsticks have elongated, thin, cylindrical bodies with variation in wings- complete wings, reduced wings, or no wings. They have chewing mouthparts and long, slender legs. Males are usually smaller than females, but size of walkingsticks varies based upon species and life stage.
Phasmids are herbivores and often feed on plant foliage, concealing themselves in areas where they eat. Young phasmids are diurnal, or active during the day, while adult phasmids are nocturnal and feed at night. Even though walkingsticks feed on foliage, they typically do not cause enough damage to plants to warrant control, so if you find them, marvel in their beauty.
The longest insect in the United States is a Phasmid and it can be found in Texas! It’s commonly known as the giant walkingstick, and it can reach up to 7 inches in length.
For more information or help with identification, contact Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Program Specialist at 512.854.9600.
his work is supported in part by the Crop Protection and Pest Management, Extension Implementation Program [award no. 2021- 70006-35347/project accession no. 1027036] from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The information given herein is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Extension or the Texas A&M AgriLife Research is implied.
Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color.
July 2024
By CMG Ron S
Over the years, I have offered that Marcia’s and my attitude towards wildlife was supportive, sometimes to the extreme and expensive. We feed a herd of deer, a gaze of raccoons and skunks, and tolerate wild pigs. My support and tolerance for these animals is fast waning. The deer make it impossible to landscape with anything other than resistant natives and weeds. The raccoons forced me to install galvanized fencing mesh vice normal screen material on our patio. About every three days 
the skunks are surprised or aroused by something, and you know what happens. Finally, the hogs have taken to digging up my PVC irrigation pipes. Some years ago while I was deployed to Kuwait during the Iraq war, my wife hired a contractor to landscape (elevation not plants) part of our front area due to flooding during hard rain. He was also a rainwater collection system specialist that I asked to install a collection system to water plants along the driveway. Part of this was a PVC pipe paralleling the driveway with spaced hydrants. It worked as requested and all was well until well-intentioned guests ran over several of these 2’ high and one foot away from the driveway hydrants breaking them off. Due to the depth of the line, I could not repair the broken hydrants and was forced to merely rejoin the broken pipes. I went from six hydrants to one. Now the hogs have relieved me of the decision on whether or not to abandon the line by digging up about 10’ of said line and breaking the connector. It is not worth repairing and I am done with it. I am also done with the sounder of hogs and have started relocating some of them to my freezer. They are quite tasty. I also have researched BBQ raccoon. There are several scent glands requiring removal and if my surgery improves, those too will find the way to the freezer. There are not that many skunks and ours are very tame, so they are forgiven.
It is also the home lifecycle time for major repairs to go from “sometime” to “best not wait any longer”. Our main AC suddenly would not turn on, so I called Climate Express that has provided services of a relatively minor nature in the past. The same technician diagnosed the problem to be electrical and put his voltmeter back on his belt. The electrician he recommended did not respond immediately so I called Mr. Sparky who came out for $300 and diagnosed a complete electrical replacement of all boxes and wire to the tune of $14,000. Seeking a second opinion, I called Chauvin Electric, the original recommendation. After ascertaining that the prior lack of response was beyond his control, I learned that he was a sole proprietor of a one-person shop in Sequin, but servicing our area (north of Garden Ridge). He did his diagnostic for $95 and determined the problem to be a failing 240 V. breaker and a burned electrical bar with a repair cost including parts of $195. CPS came out for a full inspection and confirmed that that fixed it. I replaced our complete water softener system to the tune of $3800 because my wife could not stand showers in aquifer water vice $30 a bag for potassium cubes and I succumbed to the sales pitch. We also must attend to our non-functioning front gate. It is grossly overweight and a cutting torch type of Ozempic is required. It will not open and drags on the pavement in the middle of the arc. On the sometime very soon column, I need the cedar wood window surrounds replaced because several are rotten and gutter leaf filters because every time it rains I have to climb a 12’ ladder several times. I replaced some of my raised bed borders from then rotten cedar logs to plain cinder blocks w/o mortar. I am having trouble on the up and down part of gardening so now I need to add a second block tier with mortar if I am to continue murdering vegetable plants. My unused bee house is asking for a remodel to become my daytime quiet place with insulation, drywall, electrical outlets, and AC, possibly even a composting toilet and large window. 2024 is building up to be an expensive but fruitful year.
In the garden and citrus orchard, the plants that sprouted and survived are doing quite well. I only harvested about seven Tatami squash from a good 25 or so plants, but I really don’t want anymore. The vines are a smashing good ground cover for the walkways. A small bed of Oscar okra is doing well and I have all that I want. Marcia won’t eat okra and I was raised on it. Remember that she is from Michigan and okra is a foreign vegetable and suspect. Several months ago, I planted a flat of mountain laurel seeds and darn near everyone came up. I repotted them into larger individual pots and put them in the garden on a fallow bed with drip irrigation. I also planted a packet of Roma tomato seeds in early June just for fun to try to get a late fall crop. I know, but I am used to failure. I also had one and only one Zinnia come up from four packets of open planting. I used to be quite successful at Zinnias but have had really bad luck the last couple of years. Next year, I will start them in 4” pots. About the only thing I seem to be really, really successful with is herbal Aloe vera. I am so successful that although I repotted last year, those pots are now splitting. Anyone needing some, give me a text or email.
June 2024
By CMG Ron S
We made it until around 15 May with reasonable and favorable weather. As I write this I am seated at the computer desk and preparing for the May meeting this afternoon. The back of my head is sweating and I have just closed two large doors to the outside that my spouse insists on leaving wide open. As we have stained concrete floors, our interior is usually ten or more degrees cooler than outside, but not when the doors and/or windows are left open. I have suggested this to her for consideration for years, but evidently without effect. Today she asked if our 24 solar panels will compensate for a free use of our air conditioning units. It will.
We are continuing to receive nightly visits from our hog sounder. I included a picture of a large boar with two inch tusks so that you realize that I am living in the wild jungle of south Texas. A few days ago at dusk, their favorite time for visits, I witnessed about ten tiny piglets ripping across the front pasture. I had a shot but I could not do it even though I had just read about the grilling of wild piglets and still had some drool left at the corner of my mouth. There is a shoulder and ham in the freezer from my March harvest.
I lost another chicken to a predator in April. That knocked me down to two laying hens and two unusual pullets. We do not need the extra eggs, but I purchased three new Production Reds from NB Feed and Grain a week ago. Marcia was not a happy camper as the flock likes to poop on the front porch. I offered to take over the cleaning chore, but Marcia advised that I did not do a good enough job and to leave her alone. I have two little pullets, the Frizzle and an Ayam Cemani, listed as the world’s most expensive black chicken. As noted before, a neighbor gifted her to me. The Ayam is so deep black that her feathers have a definite emerald sheen. The breed is also supposed to be a bit flighty, but every time she sees me she runs over for me to pick her up and rub her neck and breast. Her safety is of great concern, but I cannot confine her as she loves to roam the property.
Another season is moving on and proving me to be an absolute tomato grower loser. A couple of the plants are over six feet tall without fruit and others are stunted at about 18 inches with one or two fruits. I am going to stick with HEB or the Commissary. I was so proud of my tatami squash that last month I offered to give away most of the crop. No one took me up on it saving me the embarrassment calling them back with an empty hand. I have beautiful yellow flowers everywhere, but all were male. That is right, not one female flower that I can find. The asparagus did well giving Marcia several meals and she eats all 
that she can get. The cabbage loopers relieved me of my cabbage as you see from the photo. I do report that my basil plants have all done very well. Next to asparagus, basil is Marcia’s favorite garden crop. She eats copious amounts mixed with tomato, mozzarella cheese, and Balsamic vinegar (only a special kind).
Many years ago, even before our donated greenhouse, I went to San Antonio to purchase metal greenhouse and garden tables from the estate of an avid gardener. The greenhouse folks still use those tables. The daughter of the gardener was there when I disassembled the tables and loaded six onto my trailer. She gifted Marcia some Papyrus plants if Marcia would dig them up. It was raining quite heavily, but Marcia wanted those plants and we took several home. I still have them in pots, but managed to kill one grouping last week in a manner that I do not understand. All I know is Marcia said that I did it by not watering them enough. Maybe. I have to repot that grouping and hope to find out if it is true.
Wishing you the best with your harvests. Sign me envious.
May 2024
By CMG Ron S
Well, looks like I have added seeds to my failures, germination that is. I can buy plenty of seed, but I cannot get it to germinate. I tried three successive plantings of carrots and not a one sprouted. I got only a few zinnias from four packets of seeds. Virtually none of my open seeding of cilantro came up this year and I had no hand in it other than to cast the seed upon the soil seas. The one variety that sprouted, and nearly every one, was tatume purchased by the scoop at Plant Haus. Now I am figuring out what to do with a whole bed of squash, provided they all produce. Want some? I was successful with a flat of Mountain Laurel seeds. I do not know why but almost all came up in small 4” pots.
I do not remember if you remember Lee Franzel but I hope so. Lee was a major star of CMG who passed fairly recently. Lee was a class coordinator, president, presenter on various topics and an all around great guy. He also offered that 21-0-0 was better than organic fertilizers. As Lee was a mentor of mine, I took it to heart and keep a 25 pound bag in the garage. I decided that my potted tomatoes and other ground placed plants needed a spring pick-me-up. Heeding the manly call of if a spoonful is good, two are better, I spread the wealth. One half of my tomatoes protested with visible stress. Looks like I did it again this year. These plants are recovering but now lag behind. The only ones that seem to have accepted the offering were the asparagus and tatume.
Last month I mentioned a small pullet named Cinnamon gifted to me by a neighbor. She disappeared one afternoon and I can only think that it was due to predation. Speaking of predation, our settlement has experienced an almost constant issue of escaping dogs. We have had a very senior beagle visit us on several occasions, an extremely large Great Dane, a free-running large mutt being chased by two of its people, and most recently two dogs acting like a pack that turned predatory. I accept that these dogs were most likely someone’s pets, but they came onto my property without tags or leash and attacked my chickens. I noticed feathers on three sides of the house when I returned from the gym. One of the girls had all but two of her tail feathers torn out along with a few of her wing and side feathers. My wife witnessed these dogs attack. Neighbors frequently walk their dogs on the road and easement with no leash attached. I blew up and posted to our neighborhood Facebook page about these dogs and advised that should I see these dogs again on my property I would stand my ground. On research I learned that according to Section 11.2 of the Comal County Ordinances landowners have a right to protect their livestock from predatory animals on their property in defense of their animals without fear of criminal or civil prosecution.