“I’ve been stumped after finding this creepy bug in my bathroom”, writes Kristina in her submission regarding the stick-like object pictured below. “I realize this isn’t a worm, more like a walking stick. And they bite! Notice the strange head.” Now, we do not know which end of the organism is the head, as it is not clear just from the picture since the organism does look exactly like a stick. We also do not know which of the two twigs is meant to be the organism, though we would assume it is the thinner one since the bigger one clearly has a splintered end (which would not be possible if it was an organism). If it was not for Kristina telling us that this was a bug, we would not have been able to tell. We will do our best to help Kristina arrive at an identification, but we must say that we will not be able to provide an accurate or confident identification, given that we are not insect experts: we specialize in worms and worm-like critters.

When we see a bug that looks like a stick, there is really only one option that come to mind: stick insects (AKA phasmids). If this creature had been more worm-like, we would have suggested that it could be a stick caterpillar (larvae of the peppered moth), but this creature does not possess any of the physical characteristics of the stick caterpillar other than looking like a stick; its body is far too skinny and straight, and does not have enough knobs. Stick insects are fascinating creatures nonetheless; to keep their eggs safe from egg-eating scavengers, stick insect eggs have even evolved blend in with nature as seeds. Likewise, when stick insects reproduce, their eggs have a 50/50 chance of hatching male or female insects, and if it turns out that too many males are born to guarantee a sizable next generation, females can actually produce eggs that will yield female offspring.

Additionally, despite their fragile bodies, they are true survivalists. They are arguably better than stick caterpillars at camouflaging themselves as sticks: they are so thin and small that they really do go unnoticed until they start moving. And one of the ways in which stick insects protect themselves further from predators is to play dead and stay completely still. On top of that, they also have a range of defense mechanisms to protect themselves as adults. Depending on the exact species of stick insect, they can spray their enemies with a tear-gas-like substance, break off limbs at will to escape (which will regenerate, much like a slug), regurgitate nasty-tasting liquids into their prey’s mouth to get them to regurgitate the insect themselves, and/or attack predators with the spikes on their legs. With all of that said, stick insects cannot bite, but it is possible that Kristina was pinched by their leg spikes if the stick insect felt threatened.

In conclusion, the stick-like bug Kristina found is likely a stick insect/phasmid that has been pinching her with its spikes. We suggest putting the insect outside and leaving it be, as they are not a threat to humans or pets. We hope this helps, and we wish Kristina the very best.

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