Giant Walkingstick

It is the largest insect in North America, growing up to 7 inches in length. Giant walkingsticks exhibit sexual dimorphism, with females generally being significantly larger than males. Giant walkingsticks have spines on their middle and hind legs; males have only a single, larger spine on each hind leg. Giant walkingsticks vary in color from shades of green to brown. Males also tend to be more brightly colored than females.

The giant walkingstick can be found as far east as Indiana, Alabama, and Kentucky; north to Wisconsin; west to New Mexico; and south to Mexico. However, they can be found most commonly in wooded areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and parts of Mexico.

Giant walkingsticks' preferred habitat and diet includes grass, grapevines, oak trees, elms, and mesquites.. The insects eat the foliage of these plants, and use camouflage to blend into the woody parts of their habitat.. Some evidence from captive rearing suggests that dietary preferences of this species changes as the insects develop, with younger nymphs preferring plants found in understory growth and adults preferring food plants which grow taller. Unusually large groups of this species were observed in June 1981 and June 2000 in Texas, though an exact cause of these groupings has not been determined.