Walking stick insects

[Mysterious Traveler]

Do walking stick insects suck the life out of plants and make the leaves fall off?

One appeared near some Hummingbird trumpet vines at the same time the leaves shriveled up and fell off. Google couldn't tell me how they affect a plant. There was a link I followed this morning about a walking stick from another country that is in the southern US and can spray a chemical that can damage eyes. I was going to include the link but can't find it now.

Thanks for any help Mysterious Traveler

[mleblanca]

Hi Traveler I looked in my Fieldbook of Natural HIstory and found

W. S. insect feeds mainly on leaves of trees, mostly at night. Leaves are chewed not sucked. Common predator is the Grackle and other birds, also lizards and mantids. They are in Family Phasmidae. Diapheromera is the Genus name. (try googling that)

Emilie NorCal

[R Srinivasan]

Of the two description of the walking stick insect( not alluded to the stick used by elderly persons), one fits the famous bombardier, a common winged creature of tropics for it can aerosol a malodorus biochemical to ward off pursuing predators and the second is also inhabitant of tropical jungles. You will notice mimicking stick is also found in a form of praying mantis which is a carnivorae.