Yard Critter of the Week - Common Walkingstick

What's green and sticky?

A Common Walkingstick!

The Common Walkingstick is a slender, elongated insect which camouflages itself by resembling a twig (although not very helpful when on the siding). There are three pairs of legs, but at rest, the front pair is extended forward beside the antennae, forming an extension of the twig-like effect. It is native to North America.

The Stick is herbivorous and feeds mainly on the leaves of trees. They are leaf skeletonisers, eating the tissues between the leaf veins, pausing for a while, and then walking on to new leaves. They are most active at night.

Walkingsticks overwinter as eggs in leaf litter. In May the hatch and climb up trees to feed and grow. And then to mate and start the cycle all over again.

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You can find all of the Yard Critter posts listed here.

Thanks to guest blogger Patty Rehn. The words and images are hers.