Carausius morosus

Walking Stick

Herbivore: Eats leaves

Geography: Found on every continent except Antarctica in temperate and tropical regions 

Habitat: Woodlands and tropical forests 

Interesting facts:

  • Walking sticks are members of the same order as leaf insects, which are also fantastically camouflaged.
  • These insects have an unusual defensive strategy and when they feel threatened will go rigid and fall to the ground.
  • The presence of the Indian walking stick in the wild in Southern California, specifically San Diego, is a concrete example of the damage that can be done by feral walking stick insects.
  • The front legs have red patches at the base of the forelegs
A macro shot of a Stick Insect, scientifically known as Carausius morosus, photographed up close. The insect has a brown, stick-like body with thin legs and antennae, and its camouflage adaptation to mimic a twig is visible in the image.