Muskmare and her mate

Subject:  Unidentified Insect
Geographic location of the bug:  Southern Pope County, Arkansas
Date: 09/25/2021
Time: 12:14 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman:  I saw these bugs on my doorjamb at about 8PM 9/25/21. The temperature was about 65 F/18.3 C degrees. For reference, my thumb in one picture is 3/4 inch/18mm wide. I’m in a small neighborhood built on a reclaimed swamp. Some remaining wetlands, open fields, and a small patch of woods are also nearby.
How you want your letter signed:  Miah

Muskmare and her diminutive mate

Dear Miah,
These are Striped Walkingsticks in the genus Anisomorpha, a group that are commonly called Muskmares because mated pairs, with the considerably larger female carrying her diminutive mate, resemble a horse and its rider.  Approach with caution.  Striped Walkingsticks are able to shoot a noxious substance into a predator’s eyes with amazing accuracy.

 

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