Northern Walkingsticks (Diapheromera femorata), the only species in northern North America, is 3 ½” to 4” in length. Most species in the U.S. are wingless; insect legs are attached to its middle section (thorax). Walkingsticks are terrestrial—if you see a similar critter in the water, it’s an (unrelated) water scorpion.
With apologies to Olde English Folk Songs everywhere, here is the Second Annual Twelve Bugs of Christmas, featuring a Baker’s Dozen that were photographed this year but that did/will not appear in BOTWs. These pictures are a tribute to the joy of stumbling into the right place at the right time.
Shy and nocturnal, Walkingsticks graze on leaves of forest trees and, during a population boom, can damage them. There are two reasons for camouflage—to hide and to hunt. Turns out that despite one of Mother Nature’s better camouflage jobs, many predators aren’t fooled; walkingsticks are spotted and eaten by a variety of songbirds, rodents and mantises.