We have never had walking sticks at the farm, but we found this guy on our four wheeler last month. He doesn't look like the ones I saw as a child, he is quite big, and blue too. Is this a normal one for this area of TX?
Also, I know you can order praying mantid "cocoons" (I can't spell what they are called), can you order walking sticks?
Joy
Just a Walkingstick. They can be green, gray, brown, blue, even mottled. I would not want alot of these in or around my plants sine both adults and Nymphs chew leaves. They are not beneficial as are Mantids and not considered a friendly in your garden.
Thanks, never even thought about them until we saw this one. We have lots of mantids, thanks to their desire to ride on the tractor when we mow pastures. Figured we picked the stick up in the wooded area of the farm.
Been on DG for 2years now, bout time I asked some Texans questions.
Thanks again,
Joy
An entomologist student at A&M sent us this info just now. He and my youngest are friends up there. The stick we have might be a Megaphasma dentricus, which is the longest insect in the United States. We measured ours at 6.5". They can get to 7". They are not the species that have been reported as defoliating shrubs and undergrowth. Although they are "chewers", so would not be welcome as you said.
Host plants include apple, basswood, birch, dogwood, hackberry, hickory, locust, oak, pecan and wild cherry.
Thanks again,
Joy
Those things give me the heebie jeebies! They freak me out every time I see one!
Gosh I love him! I don't care if they do chew on plants I simply couldn't kill such an interesting and well adapted insect. I am not afraid of anything that doesn't bite me first. Yours is fabulous, I have never had one that large or that color. I am almost jealous, almost.
C
That's the cool part about Walkingsticks. If you have bats the sticks won't have a chance! Bats love eating sticks and can hone in on the sounds they make at night then chomp chomp good for the bats. Personally I love bats more than walkingsticks of any color!
I don't have a lot of bats here in for whatever reason. Of course I don't have much of any kind of animal, just a few possums.
C
Love the bats! Off an on we get bats but we have barred, great horned and barn owls that love to eat bats. Not to mention the multiple hawks.
I was a tomboy growing up, loved snakes, bugs, and anything outdoors, much to my mother's chagrin. So I am in a constant fight with one city bred neighbor who thinks all snakes should die. I have told him repeatedly what good things they do, and offered to take them off his hands, but no. He doesn't like bugs either. The other day he was at our fence complaining about mice, rats, bugs, spiders, etc. and I just sighed.
I think my stick is simply gorgeous and since he is more inclined to eat undergrowth rather than my cottage garden, he can stay. Maybe the new ribbon snake I saw will have him for breakfast. Ouch.
An orphan barred owlette from last year. One parent was killed on the road, we ended up taking him to raptor rescue and they released him out here later in the year.
Joy
I don't hate rats and mice but am not thrilled with them living in my shed or garage either. My complaint is that their droppings can cause disease and that is a bit scary. Would love a life somewhere with owls and bats. I found some rough earth snakes this year and was thrilled that they moved into my yard. They can't bite even if they want to so there is no downside to having them around, unless you are an earthworm.
C
Earthworms are much more beneficial in my yard than ground snakes. Worms break down inorganic matter leaving behind castings which are loaded with enzymes and minerals that totally benefit plants and trees. Plus worms are great for catching fish which then makes a person feel good.
For what the ground or grass snake would eat I can pick several other critters that eat the same things and leave earthworms alone as well as not freaking out your neighbors.
Now for bull and rat snakes I welcome any and all same with corn snakes cause my mantids or assassin bugs aren't going be hunting rats and mice anytime soon!
I love my timid rough earth snakes and they are welcome, in limited numbers of course. I would have no trouble with some larger snakes but my husband is much like the mentioned neighbor...the only good snake is a dead snake. In my small, suburban yard I am always thrilled to find new creatures. I had a couple toads move in for the first time and I sat outside at night and watched them eat June bugs. Sad but true, I am so wildlife deprived that even the common toad holds my attention.
C
Hey we all have our element!
ROUX..... You should post it to the DG Bugfiles.....
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/4458/
Preying mantis kill my butterflies and have killed humming birds so I don't allow them here. I used to love them until I found that out. Just my two cents.
But don't they mostly kill insects?
C
Not sure, what their entire diet is, but they always hang out at the bloom the butterflies and hummers like.
I was watching a Monarch nectaring on a plant last year and all of a sudden it fell. I went to pick it up and found the mantis devouring it.
edited for spelling
This message was edited Oct 8, 2010 6:58 AM
Sorry you have evil mantids so does that mean they aren't praying?
I know they can be destructive to things that people like. I don't have anything against butterflies until the larva looking juveniles are stripping my chili leaves. Then no more nice guy to the butterflies! fortunately I think the moths have done more damage to some of my plants than butterflies but after using Neem and BtK it doesn't matter which one comes to feed cause they all meet their match.
This message was edited Oct 8, 2010 8:56 AM
I don't think the butterfly caterpillars are your pest on peppers....I bet it is the tomato hornworm (sphinx moth). But when you are in the business of selling your product, it is a must you protect it.
We are losing pepper leaves and several other plant leaves to grasshoppers. I actually plant fennel for the swallowtail caterpillar. I love swallowtails and fennel isn't my favorite so it is an even trade. My young citrus trees took a beating this year to caterpillars. Hopefully they will be big enough next year that I won't have to take any action.
I love my Texas rat snakes. We have quite a few and don't have any rodent problems. The little ribbon snake eats very small bugs, little mouth. I leave fruit out for the butterflies and have never had any fall prey to the mantids but I guess a big one could eat a butterfly. But then birds eat the mantids, that is life. I find the occasional mantid carcass lying around. Of course it could just be a male.
I don't know how small your hummers are, or how big your mantids are, but mine would lose to a hummer any day. My ducks get a lot of bugs, and the geese help with weeding. If I could just find an animal to do the watering for me I would be set.
I sit at night and listen to the orchestra of frogs and toads. It is wonderful.
Joy
What's a mantid?
BTW, some of these little critters are very much preferred to my occasional armadillo(s) who just love rooting around everywhere. I have learned that my little four-legged roommate is an excellent dillo detector and barks like a fool -- and I've learned that special bark and know to get outside with my flashlight and garden rake!!!
mantid...should be mantis....
My rat terrier searches out the grubs better than a robin and eats them!!! Uck! I just don't like the digging little holes...she is worse than an armadillo.
Most of the species are in the family Mantidae. Historically, the term "mantid" was used to refer to any member of the order because for most of the past century,only one family was recognized within the order. That's long enough for me to still refer to them as Mantids not to mention the bug place I use to supply certain beneficial bugs claim the majority of egg cases sold in the US are of the original Mantid order. Not to be confused with the other eight recently established families that have been given a name 'Mantis" even though they still are part of the order Mantodea. My 2 cent's worth.
Sheila I don't want to demonize the precious little butterfly but part of my business responsibilities include have a vast and complete knowledge of anything not beneficial taking a nap in any of my Capsicum Plant's or anything else I have growing.
I get Tobacco Hornworm more than tomato hornworm and occasionally thistle caterpillars, and some brushfooted. Granted these don't get as large as the Hornworm but those cute little butterfly caterpillars can cause significant defoliation too!
When I lived in e tx I had over 220 planted Capsicum varieties and when the selections for the caterpillars and worms consisted of oaks, hickory's, dogwood, post oak, blackjack and sandjack oak and other trees with tough leathery leaves. Or many bright green and soft leaved Capsicum plant's bursting with juicy goodness!
Which one would you rather eat?
I agree totally. We have, by your standards, a small amount of chilis, mostly habs and jalapenos, but we sell the excess at the local farmer's market. I don't tolerate caterpillars on them or my tomatoes, butterflies or not. At the house I have a couple dedicated plants for specific caterpillars, but my citrus are totally off limits.
It is amazing to see how much one caterpillar can eat in a day. Since we have gotten dry, the grasshoppers are killing us. Ducks can't even keep ahead of them so I resorted to more severe methods.
We do have quite a few toads and frogs, so I am careful in what I put down.
Joy
I have used a product called Semaspore Organic Grasshopper Control in the past and would recommend it anytime for the plagues of grasshoppers that past through.
It is crucial to apply this stuff when you first start to see baby grasshoppers and apply it around the house, barn, and any other place you want to. The baby hoppers eat this then they die and other hoppers eat them and then they die and so on and so on. It's kind of like a plague for grasshoppers!
My whole yard was ravaged by catipillars this year and I am more than tired of them, regardless of what they end up as. I also have something eating the petals off of various flowers. The latest victom is a burgandy gallardia. I am not home much during the day during the school year and have not seen the culprit.
C
Get yourself some sticky traps and place in and around the plants being eaten. With some luck you may get a sticky culprit that got stuck!
Not a bad idea, where do they sell sticky insect traps?
C
Thanks for the product. I will check my local garden supply and see if they have it. Too late for this year since the babies need to eat it, but i will definitely have it on hand next year.
You can get all sorts of sticky traps at your local Ace Hardware. Hope this helps!
I had some up until early this year as a friend had fungus gnats and I gave the sticky strips away.
This message was edited Oct 8, 2010 4:04 PM
