#dichanthium

[calosoma-amitch]

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Prairie walking stick (Diapheromera velii), Welder Wildlife Refuge, Sinton TX. July 2013. 

The prairie walking stick is nocturnal, venturing out in the night to feed on grasses and mate. During the day, they cling to grass stems and remain motionless, attempting to blend into the background of a grassland. This is especially true in Texas prairies where little rain in the summer turns the grass the same color as the insect. If the insect is spotted by predators, however, the walking stick can provide a second mechanism for defense: by releasing droplets of foul-tasting (and smelling) liquid from their legs. 

Although they prefer big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), this insect was found on Old World bluestem (Dichanthium annulatum), a grass closely related to Andropogon, but also an invasive that has been replacing native grasses. I did not observe other walking sticks during the three years of my research on Old World bluestems, so I do not think these walking sticks benefit from the invasive grass.