In article ,
"marcesent" wrote:

"Gary Brady" wrote in message
nk.net...

For all the stories, I've never seen one spit.
--
Gary Brady
Austin, TX


A-HA! I found the Texas A&M Entomology discussion on the topic:

http://insects.tamu.edu/fact_fiction/walkingstick.cfm

Apparently they can cause spray injuries: "However, Jackman notes that if
disturbed the native species, A. buprestoides, is reported to be capable of
causing temporary eye injury in one study. Furthermore, we have had a few
contacts from the public that provided testimonials that they have been
sprayed with a caustic substance or were even temporarily blinded. The
entomologist advises, "The best thing to do if you encounter a walkingstick
is to leave it alone. "

I'm sure that the "spit devil" thing started with that - and then grew into
an urban legend.

Also says that they don't eat other bugs - they eat leaves.

Interesting article. I'll be leaving the sticks alone - and at peace.

Julie

Cool, what kind of leaves?
I always thought they were predators, thanks!
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

"marcesent" wrote in message
...
A search online doesn't reveal much. So how dangerous are these
creatures? Anyone have any stories? Do I need to be nervous in the garden
now?

TIA,
Julie

Not on account of the walking sticks. Safe as houses, those are. Stay away
from the tree asps / asp larvae though. Had one drop down the back of my
collar one time - ouch!
--
Mike Harris
Austin, TX

"Mike Harris" wrote in message
. com...

Not on account of the walking sticks. Safe as houses, those are. Stay
away from the tree asps / asp larvae though. Had one drop down the back
of my collar one time - ouch!
--
Mike Harris
Austin, TX
ooooh yeah. My ex father-in-law had one fall down his shirt when he was
mowing the lawn - he literally thought he was having a heart attack as it
stung him in just the right place to make his left arm feel like it was
going numb. That coupled with the pain sent him to call 911.....not a fun
experience!!

Julie

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" wrote in message
...
Insects I believe are not intelligent enough to reason... or to attack
unless they think you are "food" for some reason?

It probably kept coming towards him 'cause it was too dumb to do
anything else and just wanted to go that way? G

I think the stories of people being "chased" by water moccasin snakes
are pretty much the same thing. The snake is just trying to get away,
but too stupid to move in the right direction.

Best thing to do is to step aside?

But yeah, I'd be curious to see what A&M says. I'm always up for an
education if I am wrong. ;-)

I remember my Dad was trying to get away at the same time pushing it off the
driveway with the shovel. But who knows, the whole thing may have been one
big misunderstanding (my Dad and the stick, that is).

But remember, many creatures are not intelligent, but are perfectly capable
of aggression in self-defense (fire ants, for example).

You're right about the "chasing" thing. Many times it's just the noise the
person makes while they're running away crashing through the brush that
makes them think the snake is chasing them. I spent a *bunch* of time in
East Texas doing my field work for herpetology in the early 90's and we
found more than our share of moccasins. Nasty things, they are - stink like
rotten eggs (sulphur) when you disturb them. But only once did I have one
get *really* aggressive with me - it was when I was in a canoe and I
happened to paddle right on top of the lilies where he was sunning himself.
I thought he was going to come *into* the canoe with me....he struck the
paddle like 6 times!!

Hoop snakes are another Texas lore that makes me laugh. The best one was a
little old lady in East Texas that we were talking with on a cultural
herpetology trip. She claimed that the hoop snake took it's tail in it's
mouth (forming the "hoop") and then rolled at high speed chasing her across
the pasture, over a barbed wire fence (it jumped it) and then up a tree!
And the whole time the snake was whistling....I didn't have the nerve to ask
what tune.

I've always maintained a healthy dose of skeptcism on both sides - both the
believers and the unbelievers of an "animal legend." It's funny how
emotional people get (not you Om ) on both sides of the equation. When
emotion is projected onto critters - whether loving or hateful - objectivity
goes out the door. And a little objectivitiy - and education - is a good
thing. We need more people that can balance both with care and kindness
(like you, Om )! ok soapbox over!!

Julie

In article ,
"Mike Harris" wrote:

"marcesent" wrote in message
...
A search online doesn't reveal much. So how dangerous are these
creatures? Anyone have any stories? Do I need to be nervous in the garden
now?

TIA,
Julie

Not on account of the walking sticks. Safe as houses, those are. Stay away
from the tree asps / asp larvae though. Had one drop down the back of my
collar one time - ouch!
--
Mike Harris
Austin, TX

Oh lordy... I just brushed my hand against an asp once when I was
picking wild persimmons.

Ouch indeed!

I put them in the trash now when I find those. I grab them with a few
layers of paper towels!

Had pain for nearly 24 hours.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article ,
"marcesent" wrote:

remember my Dad was trying to get away at the same time pushing it off the
driveway with the shovel. But who knows, the whole thing may have been one
big misunderstanding (my Dad and the stick, that is).

But remember, many creatures are not intelligent, but are perfectly capable
of aggression in self-defense (fire ants, for example).

Good example. ;-)
They swarm up your leg then the group "mind" starts them all stinging at
once!

I declare outright war on fire ants....


You're right about the "chasing" thing. Many times it's just the noise the
person makes while they're running away crashing through the brush that
makes them think the snake is chasing them. I spent a *bunch* of time in
East Texas doing my field work for herpetology in the early 90's and we
found more than our share of moccasins. Nasty things, they are - stink like
rotten eggs (sulphur) when you disturb them. But only once did I have one
get *really* aggressive with me - it was when I was in a canoe and I
happened to paddle right on top of the lilies where he was sunning himself.
I thought he was going to come *into* the canoe with me....he struck the
paddle like 6 times!!

Heh.

Sounds like that rather ticked off copperhead we had to "rescue" one
time. Since we were doing volunteer work for WRI, we had to capture it
alive... I refused tho' to crawl under the guys trailer for it and made
him unscrew the skirting.

We were successful but both of us had an adrenaline rush for nearly an
hour.

Wish I'd had a digicam way back then.


Hoop snakes are another Texas lore that makes me laugh. The best one was a
little old lady in East Texas that we were talking with on a cultural
herpetology trip. She claimed that the hoop snake took it's tail in it's
mouth (forming the "hoop") and then rolled at high speed chasing her across
the pasture, over a barbed wire fence (it jumped it) and then up a tree!
And the whole time the snake was whistling....I didn't have the nerve to ask
what tune.

lol I've heard that one too!
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

"marcesent" wrote:
Also says that they don't eat other bugs - they eat leaves.

My wife tells me that the praying mantis is a carnivore and the walking
stick is a vegetarian. Walking sticks normally don't do enough damage to
plants to be a concern.

I've handled both and never had one spit at me.

I can't remember if I ever saw a horned lizard squirt blood. When I was
young "horny toads" were plentiful and we could easily catch them, and did.

j jhnsn

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:01:38 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:


Oh lordy... I just brushed my hand against an asp once when I was
picking wild persimmons.

Ouch indeed!

I put them in the trash now when I find those. I grab them with a few
layers of paper towels!

Had pain for nearly 24 hours.

What's the purpose of putting it in the trash?

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
In article ,
"marcesent" wrote:


"OmManiPadmeOmelet" wrote in message
...

Either that or what attacked him were not walking sticks.
I have a close friend that was attacked as a child by a swarm of locusts.
She had bites all over her. She's been terrified of large grasshoppers
all of her life since that incident.

I've seen some pretty big grasshoppers.

Your dad also could have been telling a tall tale. ;-)
No offense meant.


None taken. As I said though, I do remember seeing it - I was 15 or so at
the time. I was out in the driveway with him. He was trying to "sweep" the
critter off the driveway with the shovel (that was the tool he had been
using, he had no intention of harming with it) and the thing kept coming at
him. And it looked like a walking stick, not a locust or grasshopper.

My mom was there too, she was a bit freaked out! She remembers it, but I
definitely think her version gets a bit "colored" with her high anxiety at
the time.

I should send an email to A&M and ask them if it's possible from the sticks
to get aggressive when disturbed when nesting. My main concern in asking
this is my daughter, my neighbor's dogs (miniature greyhounds - love to get
into the garden), and gardening with my bare hands and while barefoot. But
it's not a big worry.


I've played with many a walking stick as I find them to be rather
fascinating. So far, no harm, no foul.
--

You're much braver than me! But I have maintained a healthy curious respect
for them. It's funny, my Bachelor's from A&M is in Wildlife Biology -
aquatic biology and herpetology. I've handled more snakes and lizards and
frogs and traditionally "creepy" things without batting an eye - I find them
fascinating. But I couldn't bring myself to study insects, and definitely
can't touch them. Aren't phobias weird?

But they get to live in my home too, and I hope they stay happy. It's nice
to see critters that the fire ants haven't driven out or eaten.

Julie


Insects I believe are not intelligent enough to reason... or to attack
unless they think you are "food" for some reason?

It probably kept coming towards him 'cause it was too dumb to do
anything else and just wanted to go that way? G

The walking sticks out at my place seem to climb
for safety. If ol' dad was the tallest thing
around, it was probably trying to climb him.

I think the stories of people being "chased" by water moccasin snakes
are pretty much the same thing. The snake is just trying to get away,
but too stupid to move in the right direction.

Best thing to do is to step aside?

But yeah, I'd be curious to see what A&M says. I'm always up for an
education if I am wrong. ;-)

Water moccasins are at least smart enough to
recognize something out-of-the-ordinary in their
environment, which they generally seem to consider
a threat (yeah, every time I've seen this, it's
been a guy with a .22). They *will* attempt to
drive you from their territory.

DT

In article ,
"James Lee Johnson" wrote:

"marcesent" wrote:
Also says that they don't eat other bugs - they eat leaves.

My wife tells me that the praying mantis is a carnivore and the walking
stick is a vegetarian. Walking sticks normally don't do enough damage to
plants to be a concern.

I've handled both and never had one spit at me.

I can't remember if I ever saw a horned lizard squirt blood. When I was
young "horny toads" were plentiful and we could easily catch them, and did.

j jhnsn

I did too. ;-)
I grew up in the Mojave desert.

I only had one (hornytoad) squirt me a couple of times.

It's freaky.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article ,
Jangchub wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:01:38 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:


Oh lordy... I just brushed my hand against an asp once when I was
picking wild persimmons.

Ouch indeed!

I put them in the trash now when I find those. I grab them with a few
layers of paper towels!

Had pain for nearly 24 hours.

What's the purpose of putting it in the trash?

Keeping it from reproducing!
I could squish them I suppose, but I'm squeemish.

I flush palmetto bugs down the toilet because it grosses me out to
squish them.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:18:09 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:

In article ,
Jangchub wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:01:38 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:


Oh lordy... I just brushed my hand against an asp once when I was
picking wild persimmons.

Ouch indeed!

I put them in the trash now when I find those. I grab them with a few
layers of paper towels!

Had pain for nearly 24 hours.

What's the purpose of putting it in the trash?

Keeping it from reproducing!
I could squish them I suppose, but I'm squeemish.

I flush palmetto bugs down the toilet because it grosses me out to
squish them.

So what's the "om" shit about? Certainly not the right thing to do
for a person who uses that term.

In article ,
Jangchub wrote:

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:18:09 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:

In article ,
Jangchub wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:01:38 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:


Oh lordy... I just brushed my hand against an asp once when I was
picking wild persimmons.

Ouch indeed!

I put them in the trash now when I find those. I grab them with a few
layers of paper towels!

Had pain for nearly 24 hours.

What's the purpose of putting it in the trash?

Keeping it from reproducing!
I could squish them I suppose, but I'm squeemish.

I flush palmetto bugs down the toilet because it grosses me out to
squish them.

So what's the "om" shit about? Certainly not the right thing to do
for a person who uses that term.

Om is all about enlightenment.....

Cockroaches don't need to be in my house.

The Omelet is deliberate, Omeggs are generally served scrambled. ;-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:41:29 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:


Om is all about enlightenment.....

Ya, and as long as you rejoice in killing sentient beings you will
never reach enlightenment. That would require a basic level of
wisdom.

Cockroaches don't need to be in my house.

I trap them under a glass and slide thin cardboard under that. I
place them gently outside.

The Omelet is deliberate, Omeggs are generally served scrambled. ;-)

Okay.

In article ,
Jangchub wrote:

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:41:29 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
wrote:


Om is all about enlightenment.....

Ya, and as long as you rejoice in killing sentient beings you will
never reach enlightenment. That would require a basic level of
wisdom.

Cockroaches are sentient?


Cockroaches don't need to be in my house.

I trap them under a glass and slide thin cardboard under that. I
place them gently outside.

Whatever works for you...

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z54B2597D

Cockroaches transmit human disease.
They are vermin.

Vectors that can cause endless human suffering due to misguided fools
like you.

No offense.

I believe in being merciful when it's appropriate.

Mine, my families and my neighbors health are more important than that
of the cockroach. They are not an endangered species, nor do they have
any benefit that I know of.

I treat fire ants, mosquitos and houseflies with the same "compassion".
I make sure that they meet a reasonably merciful death.

Oh, and rats and mice too. I'm sure all the people that have died of
Hannta virus and bubonic plague will bow down and thank you for your
mercy in rescuing vermin.

Fleas, lice, ticks... I could go on.
There are limits to mercy. It's called common sense.

Unfortunately, it seems to be an oxymoron to people like you.



The Omelet is deliberate, Omeggs are generally served scrambled. ;-)

Okay.

You have no sense of humor.
Go back to your cave please.

Hide from reality where you cannot hurt anyone by setting disease ridden
vermin free to hurt other humans!

Better yet, feed them and keep them in your home where they can transmit
their delightful pathogens to you.

Bacteria and viruses have a right to live too, right?

Sorry, but this crap can be carried to extremes, and I WILL draw the
line at cockroaches and similar creatures!!!!!!!

I work in health care. I've SEEN the suffering they can cause!

Set that damned cockroach free. It'll wander over to where some baby or
elderly person (those more likely to die of Salmonella infection) will
get infected and die due to your "compassion".

I'll let you comfort the family members.

Cheers!
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson