Over time, I'd like to become familiar with all of the insect diversity in the Angelina. Right off the bat, even if you are not paying too much attention, you'll find a few that are quite interesting.
When I head to the forest at the end of October and beginning of November to hunt, there are two species which are quite fascinating. The walking stick, Diapheromera femorata, is very widespread in the Bannister WMA. These creatures are exceptional examples of camoflauge - if they didn't walk all over your stuff, you'd probably never notice them. I believe that the species present in the Angelina is D. femorata, which is a "common walking stick". There are some reports that walking sticks can emit a noxious spray if provoked. However, from what I can find, this capability is only found in the "southern walking stick" (Anisomorpha buprestoides), and I cannot find any evidence that this species is present in the Angelina, although it is within the known range. If you are more knowledgeable on Phasmatodea in east Texas, please share!
If you enter the deep forest at dawn or dusk with a headlamp, you may be lucky enough to experience the iridescent carpet. Hundreds of wolf spiders (Lycosidae) in their burrows, with their eyes reflecting your provided illumination, create a starry-sky pattern on the ground. It is magnificent. One of these years, when I get a better lens for my camera, I'll try to capture this phenomenon in true low light. Until then, I'm posting a picture here of a wolf spider in its burrow (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wolf_spider.jpg).
Many of the people I have hunted and camped with in the Bannister WMA mistake these spiders for brown recluse. While I do not know the exact genus or species of the wolf spider in the Bannister, I am 99.9% confident that they are not brown recluse!
