The Walking Stick Is an Insect
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
Canada
April 2, 2016 6:54am CST
It has many names and when I looked it up on line I was surprised to find it is everywhere in the world except The Antarctic and Patagonia. I also was surprised to see the photos of them – so many different funny looking bugs.
I also found out they have strange names like ghost insects and others. I knew this guy my whole life as a walking sticks. There were in Upstate New York where I grew up and in Kansas where we lived for years and now I know they are in Canada.
The walking stick in the photo on my screen door taken a couple of years ago in the summer, surprised me. You rarely see them because the look like twigs. This one was literally in my face as I entered my sun porch. It was hard to miss.
I was looking for a subject to write about in my old photos. Its another nasty day in Canada because its going to snow today and tomorrow and the next day. I am so sick of winter.
I think I will write about summer from now on, and pray for warmth.
I hope you are enjoying your weather today. If you can avoid the cold, the rain, the tornado's, the floods, the nasty weather that North America is experiencing, you should be happy.
You have to wonder if God is angry with US. Maybe because he is upset with the US because an idiot is running for president...
20 people like this
24 responses
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
2 Apr 16
I too, am ready for some sunshine. Maybe I will send you a phot with a flower, from last spring.
5 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
2 Apr 16
Your flowers are beautiful but I want to see them growing in my garden!! Have a great weekend.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
@Morleyhunt I'm looking for nice weather, have you got some to share?
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate if we could have a couple of nice days you hyacinths will be blooming again this spring.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117226)
• El Paso, Texas
2 Apr 16
I've only seen one in my entire life, it scared the baageeezas outta me.
As for God being angry, I have no doubt about that at all but I'm betting it's because we keep destroying his works of art like the habitats he created for his furbabies like wolves, bears, cougars, foxes, eagles, hawks, bison, lemmings and the list goes on.....
2 people like this
@rebelann (117226)
• El Paso, Texas
4 Apr 16
I'm glad you agree @PainsOnSlate
Don't those sticks bite?
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
I understand your point and agree, we are ruining this earth...The moving twig is harmless and can be a pet to children who don't have dogs and cats.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
Yes many comments agreed with you on all of them. I like two who are running and will wait ans see which makes it to the end...I hope you get to see one some day, they are really interesting bugs.
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
4 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate
I would really like to see one of these walking sticks. I don't like any of the candidates and probably won't vote for anyone.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
@Marcyaz I hope you vote, giving up your vote is not a good idea.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (153530)
• India
2 Apr 16
i have never seen this. Thanks for sharing.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
2 Apr 16
Holy Cow, I am awed by the words that come out of the mouth of the republican guy...Its mind blowing, how this crazy man got so far...
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
6 Apr 16
I like your ending query, but God doesn't control the weather, the adversary is the cause of all the catastrophes and negative weather systems as he was given dominion over those things eons ago by Adam.
Even though we, too, are still getting snowed on, I don't think I'd consider it a long winter since it really seems like it just got started after the new year. I was planting bulbs mid-December it was that mild. In winters most recent, the ground was frozen as early as November. Even though 'winter' hasn't been all that long, it's time to leave the snow behind. At least with this last storm system the fruit trees shouldn't bud earlier than usual, which will mean better harvests. And, with this past snow system, maybe, just maybe this will be it. Usually we still get snow a little later in April, like half way through. Since it came in the beginning hopefully it won't come any longer.
I forgot all about the walking sticks. We had them growing up in Michigan, and probably they are still around. I'll have to remember to look closer at twigs I see lying about to see if I've been missing them or not. Great catch of the one on your screen, its so clear.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
6 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate I've never seen scary looking one, and sorry. I think I probably knew you were joking but many do think it's God that gives us our calamities, and I like to set people straight. I hope you don't take it personally, you just provided me a small platform for a mini preaching session.
It makes one wonder how we could have done something differently in the past to change the travesty taking place in the political arena this year. I know a lot of us, and I could be one of the worst, stay within our own bubbles of family and friends and possibly community-although I don't do much there presently. I wonder what we could have done differently as a people of the United States to prevent all this?
Years ago, I took a government class taught from the perspective of being a Christian. They talked about cooking frogs. That if you throw a frog in boiling water it will jump out. I think the same is true for lobsters, they don't jump out but I hear the scream. But, if you put the frogs into cold water and slowly bring it to a boil it will get cooked. The person teaching likened that to humankind not doing things when they can, but when it's too late your stuck. Course, we don't know how hot the water is at any given time.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
@MarshaMusselman From the first day i saw Trump and listened to him talk with disrespect to everyone, I honestly believed (and still do) that it is a joke for him. He was roasted by President Obama at a dinner a few years ago and the look on his face was not a happy face but an angry face. I figured that day he decided to show the world how powerful he is and a whole big mess of unhappy Americans jumped on his band wagon. Thankfully he has made some serious mistakes and has lost a lot of his followers but he is still dangerous. More dangerous than most people think he is.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Apr 16
My ending was intended as a joke but I guess a joke with the Word God is not a good thing...I looked them up before I wrote and they are almost everywhere, I also looked a photos of them and some are scary creators. The only ones I've ever seen in nature looked just like the one on my screen...
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14994)
• Malaysia
4 Apr 16
I saw walking sticks before, and I think it really looks like a stick. I didn't know it's called walking sticks or ghost insects. It's good to know that.
I think we are blessed to have quite good weather here, though it's really hot, we had some rains today. Hope you'll have good weather very soon.
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14994)
• Malaysia
12 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate Hope you'll get some warmth there soon! 
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
12 Apr 16
@kaka135 I thin by the weekend it will be warm here, I am so lookinf forward to it.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
I am going to enjoy Spring when it arrives/ Its snowing today. Hot is something we might see in the summer...right now its freezing!
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
2 Apr 16
I have seen this cool creature my friend when I was a child. I was fascinated with it.
Thanks for refreshing those great fond memories for me.
An idiot running for president? I believe that is a nice way to describe it.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
2 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate Welcome Paints, glad to see you pop in to see us here as always..have a nice weekend friend.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
2 Apr 16
Thanks for the laugh, Glad you got to play with them as a kid too. Fun stuff.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56241)
• Canada
2 Apr 16
The picture did not upload.
I know what you mean about being sick of the winter. We were feeling early spring, but the past day or two we've really gone back into winter haven't we? I think that I'll have to get my winter coat back out today for the weekend. I wonder if this is going to last long enough that it will be one of those years that we don't have much of a spring and go right into the heat.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
2 Apr 16
I posted too quickly , before I added the photo. Its the right size for myLot so you should be able to see it now...Sorry... Oh I hope we have a long spring but its April already so it probably won't be...
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56241)
• Canada
2 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate I went back a few minutes after and was able to see it.
Now I'm enjoying the picture posted below of the spring flowers, they look so beautiful I can almost smell them!
1 person likes this
@CookieMonster46 (13453)
• United States
3 Apr 16
I never seen this walking stick before, I would have thought it was just a stick, and nothing more.
1 person likes this
@CookieMonster46 (13453)
• United States
7 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate , I just don't recall seeing one..looks like pretzel sticks
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
It looks like a stick but it moves, it has legs and a head. It hides easily and you probably never noticed one before. They are fun to play with when you are a kid, they are harmless.
1 person likes this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
3 Apr 16
I'd say because an idiot is president, but it's not god doing the weather work this time.
I saw a walking stick several years ago, just like the one in your picture. It was on my car and easy to see. It surprised me.
1 person likes this
@OneOfMany (12150)
• United States
3 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate Well because I'm more responsible for the screwy weather, but that's just my nature! 
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
It surprised me too. Our president at the moment is a brilliant man who is disliked by many because of his color. the one running for president is an idiot and you are right, I made a joke and used the word god in it. I won't do that again...
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
5 Apr 16
Usually that's the only place we see them, on the screens. Otherwise they are hiding in the grass looking like twigs...
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
8 Apr 16
I rarely see them either, this one was literally in my face, hard to miss.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
5 Apr 16
They do come in several colors and shapes... I'm sorry i have snow too.
1 person likes this
@gofsey (1911)
• Madurai, India
5 Apr 16
@PainsOnSlate We have preying mantis or is it praying mantis, I don't know. They just sit around and fly away.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
The photo was taken in the summer - I added that to the discussion just now realizing some might think it was now...They show up in the summer, I have no idea where they are in the winter...
@jaboUK (64346)
• United Kingdom
2 Apr 16
It's an absolutely gorgeous day here in England, in fact it's been lovely Spring weather all week. I seem to have brought the sun back with me from Spain (said she, gloating!).
I haven't seen any of those insects myself - do they eat plants etc.?
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
Yes they eat plants but they are very slow and I've never seen on in my garden. The one on the screen door was a surprise.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
3 Apr 16
gigglin' o'er that last line, my friend. 'n once i got that under control, i pondered which idiot??
i see walkin' sticks 'round here durin' the summer months, jest ne'er seem to've a camera handy when i come 'cross 'em. 'course, if'n i go'n fetch said camera, i can't find the critter, lol. they're purty illusive, they've got that blendin' into schtuff down to a science.
i wish i could send'ja some warmth, hon. i'm still lookin' fer whome'er's'n charge 'f shuttin' down the winds here. the temps're warmer, but 'tis most diff'cult to get out'n enjoy such when ya can't stand upright :D
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
I remember wind in Kansas. it was awesome and kept us inside a lot... Not so much here in the north. And you are right, the walking stick can disappear in a NY minute... Which idiot? If you don't know by now I won't share. There are two who I would vote for but they are both Democrats...time will tell who I choose...
1 person likes this
@Dragonairy1 (1722)
• Newcastle Upon Tyne, England
3 Apr 16
You're last sentence made me giggle. I think we call them stick insects here.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
3 Apr 16
They are interesting creatures and as far as the election goes, I am a proud American living in a different country and ashamed that someone so shallow and such a strange personality gets to run because he has money... and no brains...
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Apr 16
Its snowing to beat the band today Looking out the window it is solid white, the wind is blowing hard...another day in paradise...
1 person likes this
