Tuesday, July 24, 2012

PHASMATODEA!

Oh to love in the woods. Where you never know what might be waiting for you when you come home from lunch.

Here I am today minding my own business, talking to my Momma on the cell phone and pulling into my garage.

I glance to my left at the other garage door.

Hmmmmm, that’s an odd place for a stick to just be hanging.

Look a bit closer.

MOTHER OF ALL THAT’S HOLY WHAT IS THAT?? That is not a stick.

It’s……

It’s……

It’s a BUG!

Bye Mom, I have to go and get my camera.

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A walking stick bug, part of the family Phasmatodea.

Hey I watched Master and Commander! I know what a Phasmid is.

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As I inch slowly closer to get a better picture. Oh creepy, creepy bug please do not move. Please do not make any threatening gestures. Please, oh please do not jump on me.

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Despite the total shiverfest going on up and down my spine I can see that this is a seriously cool bug. Can you imagine the camouflage capabilities this thing has when in a tree or on a bush. You know what gave it away for me? Well despite the fact that it was hanging in the middle of my garage door.

The weird little head it has. There is no way those little pincher like protuberances look like anything that you would see at the end of a stick.

I am observant like that.

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Not exactly sure where the eyes are on this thing…..and I wasn’t going any closer to try and find out that is for darn sure.

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Look Mildred! A bug butt.

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Just think of it as being in training for the county fair coming up in a month or so. You know I can’t resist all the animal butts over there. And really, I am only speculating that this is his posterior. It could very well be his head.

I have absolutely no idea.

Sorry. Digression. Where was I?

He truly embodies the term…Stick Legs.

I really don’t know if it is a He or a She. And I am not going to check on that either. Some dignity must be maintained around here.

Now I am going to stay in the house and hide until he/she goes back into the trees.

I need more coffee to calm my nerves.

And maybe some chocolate. Hey it worked for Harry Potter!

7 comments:

  1. When I read the opener, "Oh to love in the woods", I was primed for a very different blog topic. Oh well, perhaps you will save that story for another day. :D

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  2. I love stick bugs! Isn't that just the coolest thing. Of course, that's because he's way up there, not down here.

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  3. Funny you mention HP - I was going to suggest you found a Bowtruckle and needed some woodlice to keep him happy!

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  4. Very cool bug! I have seen many things but have yet to encounter one of those. Lucky you!

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  5. that gives me the complete and total creeps. Even with a zoom lens I'm not sure I could get close enough to take a picture.

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  6. Actually, you got the head and butt wrong. Those pincer things are on the read end. The head is between the two front legs, as if it's holding it's arms forward like a diver. You can see the two eyes coming out the side of the head, like tiny googly eyes.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!!! I had a feeling that I had the head and the butt mixed up. That must be why you are the Entomologist and I the lowly photographer.

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