# 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.

- **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.

## About

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.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/e1c91135-b30e-40c2-a8a9-de754862471e
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/134119
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anisomorpha buprestoides
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/107463849/medium.jpeg (Steven Joyner, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.