Texas Native Phasmid?

MetalMan2004

Arachnodemon
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Oct 14, 2016
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I’ve been a no-pesticides person for a while so I’ve had lots of good backyard finds. We moved recently and we’re by a field so we get even more cool stuff in the backyard.

Can anyone identify this guy/ gal? Before I release it back I’d like to make sure its native since I know invasive phasmids can do a lot of damage.

In the picture you can see a white dot around the “neck” area. It sprayed me with some white stuff (it came from where the white dot is). of course I had to smell it. It smelled chemically.

73615D49-84E7-404A-9277-442FF60F9DE5.jpeg
 

BepopCola

Arachnobaron
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Oct 14, 2018
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I think its a female of either Anisomorpha ferruginea (north) or Anisomorpha buprestoides (south) - Two-striped Walkingstick. They're both native to the US, and their territories overlap in Texas I believe.
Both are capable of squirting, I think A. buprestoides was worse(?), careful not to get it near your eyes.
 

MetalMan2004

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I think its a female of either Anisomorpha ferruginea (north) or Anisomorpha buprestoides (south) - Two-striped Walkingstick. They're both native to the US, and their territories overlap in Texas I believe.
Both are capable of squirting, I think A. buprestoides was worse(?), careful not to get it near your eyes.
Thanks! I just read up a bit more about their spray. I guess I got lucky. I didn’t expect it to be that big of a deal but apparently it can temporarily blind you!
 

jrh3

Araneae
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We have them here in Alabama too. It has been a while since I have seen any but I think ours have some red markings on them and we call them spitting devils.
 

Smotzer

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What is the size on it? it does indeed look like Anisomorpha sp. probably buprestoides. I have seen ones exactly like this without the obvious stripes and a small dot. they do indeed spray white stuff from their thoracic glands one way to ID them. Just watch out and make sure not to get sprayed in the eyes!! And where did you collect it in texas? I am trying to get a breeding program started of texas native Phasmids.

If you ever stumple upon Megaphasma denticrus I will pay for you to collect and ship them to me. Desperately trying to get ahold of this species.
 

MetalMan2004

Arachnodemon
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Oct 14, 2016
Messages
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What is the size on it? it does indeed look like Anisomorpha sp. probably buprestoides. I have seen ones exactly like this without the obvious stripes and a small dot. they do indeed spray white stuff from their thoracic glands one way to ID them. Just watch out and make sure not to get sprayed in the eyes!! And where did you collect it in texas? I am trying to get a breeding program started of texas native Phasmids.

If you ever stumple upon Megaphasma denticrus I will pay for you to collect and ship them to me. Desperately trying to get ahold of this species.
Without putting a tape measure to it I’d say it was around 4” or so. It was big. I’m in the Houston area.

I’ll keep an eye out for more. I’m sure they are out there!
 

Smotzer

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Without putting a tape measure to it I’d say it was around 4” or so. It was big. I’m in the Houston area.

I’ll keep an eye out for more. I’m sure they are out there!
that would be on the larger size for this species!! Females like this are usually in the 3 in range but they certainly can get a bit bigger. This would also be the brown color form.
 
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