Southern Two-striped Walkingstick
Anisomorpha buprestoides
This species is often called a 'musk mare' because the smaller male is almost always found riding on the back of the much larger female, even when not mating.
- Scientific name
- Anisomorpha buprestoides
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Phasmida › Pseudophasmatidae › Anisomorpha
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Oak woodlands, pine scrub, and suburban gardens.
- Diet
- Herbivorous; primarily foliage of oak, rosemary, and lyonia.
- Range
- Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas
- Size
- Females 67-90mm; Males 40-50mm
- Lifespan
- 6 to 12 months
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Broad-spectrum pesticide use and loss of native scrub habitat.
- Safe to approach?
- Defensive. Do not handle or lean close to observe. This insect can accurately spray a caustic chemical irritant from its thorax into the eyes of threats up to 15 inches away. If sprayed, immediately flush eyes or skin with large amounts of cool water or saline and seek medical attention if pain or blurred vision persists.
Anisomorpha buprestoides (Southern Two-Striped Walkingstick, Devil Rider, or Musk Mare) is a stick insect (Order Phasmatodea: otherwise known as "phasmids" or walkingsticks) which occurs throughout the southeastern United States.
Photo: Steven Joyner, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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