58 



THE STUDY OF INSECTS 



sects arc commonly found in low, wet places, and on the borders i if streams. 

 Their colors are usually dark, and are often protective, closely resembling 

 that of the soil upon which they occur. These locusts are very active, 

 jumping great distances. 



Family Phasmid^e 

 The Walking-sticks and the Leaf -in sects 



The Phasmidae are of especial interest on account of the remarkable 



mimetic forms of the different species. In those species that are found in 



the United States, except one in Florida, the body 

 is linear (Fig. 99), wingless, and furnished with 

 long legs and antennas. This peculiar form has 

 suggested the name walking-sticks which is com- 

 monly applied to these insects. 



These insects are strictly herbivorous; they 

 are slow in their motions, and often remain quiet 

 for a long time in one place. They evidently de- 

 pend on their mimetic form for protection. In 

 addition to this some species have the power of 

 ejecting a stinking fluid, which is said to be very 

 acrid; this fluid comes from glands placed in the 

 thorax. 



The eggs are scattered on the ground beneath 

 the plants upon which the insects feed, the female, 

 unlike most Orthoptera, making no provision for 

 their safety. In our 

 common northern 

 species the eggs are 

 dropped late in the 

 summer and do not 

 hatch till the follow- 

 ing spring, or even 

 till the second spring 

 in some cases. 



Our common 

 northern walking- 

 stick is Diaphero- 

 mera femorata (Fig. 

 99). The range of 

 this species extends 

 quite common insect, 



and on several occasions has appeared in such 



great numbers as to be seriously destructive to 



the foliage of forest trees ; but these outbreaks 



have been temporary. 



Among the more striking in appearance of 



the walking-sticks found in the South are Mega- 



phasma dcntricus, our largest species, measuring from 5 to 6 inches in length, 



and Anisomorpha buprestoides, a yellowish brown species, about half as long 



as the preceding. 



Fig. gg. — A Walking-stick. 



into Canada. It is a 



Fig. 100. — Phyllium scythe. 

 Sharp, after Westwood.) 



(From 



