Species Spotlight: Northern Walkingstick
Looks Like: Northern Walkingsticks look like twigs with their elongated, almost cylindrical bodies and coloring. The walkingstick shown in the photo was green in the summer but has changed color for the autumn. Males average up to 3 inches in length, females can average 3.5 to 4 inches.
Lives In: Deciduous forests, often with abundant oak and hazelnut trees.
Niche: Walkingsticks feed on the foliage of trees and shrubbery, often oak leaves, and will also eat purple loosestrife. The insect’s “frass,” or waste, looks like fine little lines. Several bird species, including crows and the American Robin will predate on the insects, so walkingsticks use camouflage as their main means of defending themselves.
Threats: There are no current threats to the walkingstick.
Frequency: This insect is abundant and widespread.
Reproduction: Walkingsticks die as the weather gets colder. They will leave several sesame-sized eggs in leaf litter in the winter, which will hatch in the spring
Fun Fact: Walkingsticks shed their entire skin in order to grow. They can regenerate legs, if necessary.
