Walkingsticks

Scientific name:
(Order: Phasmatodea)

Facts: Walkingsticks are well known for their slow-moving behavior and camouflage. Their long bodies, legs, antennae, and color make them appear to be sticks. They feed on plants and sometimes defoliate trees.

The twostriped walkingstick, Anisomorpha buprestoides (Stoll), is relatively short and stocky compared to many walking sticks. This one is known to ooze a milky secretion from between the body segments. This secretion is caustic and can burn the skin temporarily.

The longest insect in the United States is a walkingstick, Megaphasma dentricus (Stal), which reaches a length of about 7 inches.

Photo credit: Mike Merchant, Extension Entomology, Texas A&M University