Northern Walkingstick
Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House
Did You Know?
- Northern walkingsticks are the only stick insect found in northern North America. Most other stick insects live in tropical or subtropical environments.
- Juvenile walkingsticks can regenerate lost limbs if they are attacked.
- When disturbed, walkingsticks may flex their legs in an irregular way to make them look like they are twigs being moved by the wind or a larger animal’s movements. This is called quaking.
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Overview
Scientific Name: Diaphermoera femorata
Class: Insects
Diet: Mainly deciduous tree leaves
Range: North America east of the Rocky Mountains
Endangered Status: Not Listed
More Information
Northern walkingsticks are a species of stick insect. They resemble twigs and can be either brown or green, giving them good camouflage in the forests where they live. Females reach 3.75 inches at maturity, with antennae that are an additional 2 inches long. Males are shorter and more slender.
These insects move slowly at night and are generally inactive during the day. Females lay all their eggs one at a time. The eggs fall into leaf litter and remain dormant over winter. Young walkingsticks hatch in the spring and reach adulthood by late summer.
