Saga Of The Stick Bugs Part 2 - What a Handsome Boy!

[kusanivy]

So I mentioned in my last post, that my oldest Northern Walking Stick, Pan, is now officially an adult.

I kept missing seeing my stick bugs start the molting process (sometimes I missed the whole thing, including the consuming of the old skin, and the only way to know they had molted was that they were suddenly bigger) but I DID finally witness

Comments

[eleryth]

How cool!

You're a stick-bug expert or something now! So many neat little bits that you got pictures of and explained.

I still wouldn't want one as a pet (insects, no matter now cool, aren't my thing) - I much prefer cuddles from a furry animal - but I have a greater appreciation for them now.

[kusanivy]

Yeah, no, not cuddly at all which has in fact been making me miss Bandit something fierce lately.

In fact I can't even pick them up much. In theory I could, and I held Ofelia once, but I'm paranoid of hurting them.

It's strangely fascinating to watch them, even when they're holding still. I catch myself sitting there for 5 or 10 minutes at a time just watching them.

[glamourcorpse]

What a cutie. Mad props for being such a awesome bug mommy.

[kusanivy]

Seriously, the antennae. OMG they're SO fine and delicate (and the little curls are SO cute!)

I just must have a thing for stripes - Pan looks SO cool now. ;)

[kusanivy]

And his FEET - SO tiny and cute and delicate!

Oh god - between this and CJ I REFUSE to develop an insect foot-fetish. You hear that brain? DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT ;P

[glamourcorpse]

Hahaha I love you man.

[baensidhe]

...his curly antennae kind of look like Loki's helmet. :3

Very cool!

[kusanivy]

Which look much cuter on Pan than on Loki ;)

(seriously, I realize they did the best that they could while working with what the comics gave them - but that's a pretty silly looking helmet)

[websandwhiskers]

AWESOME series of photos! I've seen Katydids do this, but never caught the *start* of the process, so I am crazy jealous that you got to see the whole thing. Very, very cool!

[kusanivy]

I have video too, I just haven't had a chance to sit and edit out all the awkward focusing-the-camera bits or the long-pauses-of-no-activity bits.

But it's even cooler on video, so I shall do my best to get that up.

I kept missing the molts by that much. It was becoming the Polkaroo of insect keeping ("You mean the Twigs molted, and I missed it again?")

I finally got lucky because the Twins molted and even though I missed seeing them, I started keeping a very close eye on Pan, given he tended to molt the day or two after they did. So I just happened to catch it at the right time.

Sadly the spot their terrarium is in is actually NOT conducive to getting either great video or stills because there tends to be a lot of reflection off the glass (they are not in direct light but they get indirect light from the window and the lights over my fly-traps)

[randomyst]

I gotta applaud your camera skills!