An update from Berkeley

18 Apr '07 10:23 pm

Mark, what is the 'red walking stick' insect you and Anna are talking about? Sorry, if I sound dum-dum! Does it have a name?
Looking forward to see more of your garden shots as you 'tidy-up' for your garden party, almost a month from now! Take it easy and happy gardening and preparations, dear friend! Wink

19 Apr '07 12:43 pm

A walking stick reminds me most of a praying mantis, only with out the 'arms'. They get as big or bigger. This one was fairly thick, as these things go, and about 10 cm long. When I was a kid of about 5 I remember someone pointing one out on a telephone pole which seemed tremendously long to be an insect. (Of course I was not so big myself then.) I've seen photos of ones from the tropics, maybe in madagascar, that are elaborately camaflaged to look like stems and leafs. I believe they can be at least twice as long as the one I saw. That's about all I know.
Be well friend.

19 Apr '07 12:56 pm

I googled 'image searched' a couple of piccies. They can vary in size, width and colour. They can be brown and slim, or green and 'thick' and inbetween.

http://www.montezumabeach.com/images/walkingstick2.jpg

http://www.animatedchildrenstories.com/Images/WalkingStickInsects.jpg

They may creep some people out, but I love them because they're so odd.

19 Apr '07 4:05 pm

And they're good for the garden. The one I saw was very much like the second picture you googled only a dull red. The first image is very interesting. It seems too thin to possibly hold together in a breese. Fun. Thanks Anna.

21 Apr '07 4:11 am

Thanks, Mark and you too Anna for enlightening me on this fantastic creature! I never knew such an insect exist! I googled further and found a wonderful link with lovely images of many kinds of walking stick with some info which you may find interesting too : http://www.whatsthatbug.com/walking_stick.html
Enjoy! Smile

21 Apr '07 5:45 am

Thank you for putting us in touch with the Bug link ,Jacqueline .I will visit it shortly .The 'lowly' Insects are so important in the bigger scheme of things ! Would that everyone would respect them instead of spraying poison !
Dixie.

21 Apr '07 12:21 pm

Sometimes I think we're like the old cartoon characters I watched on television as a kid, sawing the branch we're sitting on off from the tree. There are so many chains of bugs and critters within and around us, and within and around them, and so on. Its hard to be sure we won't -like those cartoon characters- fall hard if we kill off the layer of bugs below us.

Besides variety is beautiful. Dixie you should definitely check out Jacqueline's link. There are so many shapes, sizes, colors and configurations of walking sticks that it is breathtaking. How much poorer a place this world would be aesthetically if there wasn't this beautiful diversity out there to discover. Jacqueline you are an incredible sourcer of on-line information!

22 Apr '07 6:59 pm

What a brilliant collection on that site. Now I have to admit, the picture with gazillions of them might have 'icked me out' just a little bit...
But only a little bit, mind you... Very Happy

24 Apr '07 2:04 pm

Well I thought I'd show some 'before-ish', but really 'in progress' pictures of an area I've been working on this winter. This is the area behind the garden shed and above the creek where I used to keep finches and such in three outdoor aviaries. Directly behind the garden shed I've left one aviary intact and built an outdoor bed in it. Beyond that is a bench where I used to sit to look at the birds. On one side of the bench is a 'dutch' gate leading to the side yard which is also scheduled for work. On the other side of the bench is a faux rock wall I built when this was the end of another aviary where I now grow begonias. Beside the rock wall, headed East behind the shade structure, I am developing a tool shed (which still needs its roof surfaced and locking doors. Next to that is a gate leading out to the creek. Out along the creed I've built up a raised bed and planted several new plants. Past that gate is a fig tree and then the corner deck. My project is to finish the tool shed and clear out the area on the other side of the dutch gate which used to be the vegetable garden but is now a war zone where blackberry, ivy and morning glory vines vie for supremacy with other weeds. Before I rip out all that growth, I'll try to get up onto the garden shed roof soon and take a couple more pictures of that mess. I took all these photos yesterday, Sunday April 22.

I to get some 'after' shots by the end of May.

25 Apr '07 1:43 am

Hi Mark. Wow, your new development area has such great potential. All those wonderful structural elements to work with. I can't wait to see what you do. And the bed idea is great. I have a friend who has done that in her garden. She has an old iron bed complete with mattress and bedding in a wooded area of her garden. She covers it with plastic for protection from the weather when not in use. I have also seen pictures of a raised platform with a canvas tent roof and mosqueto netting side that holds a bed. This one was done in the Northwest somewhere by a very inventive couple. What a great place for a sleepout!

An update from Berkeley

Hi Jacqueline,

I'm with you Anna, they are cool critters.

Walking Stick Insect

Link

I agree with Dixie

An area under construction where I used to keep finches.

New project under development