Ontario bug that looks exactly like a stick lurks in plain sight

Glance over quickly, and you might easily miss this bug found in Ontario that looks exactly like a stick. 

As its name suggests, the common walkingstick is found in deciduous forests across North America. It is the only stick insect to occur in Canada, where it is found in Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario. 

The insects eat many types of plant foliage but tend to prefer leaves on oak and hazelnut trees, and they have the tendency to completely skeletonize leaves.

Since these leaves are their main food source, walkingsticks have the ability to defoliate trees, which explains why they're considered pests in some areas. 

Photo: Cintaylo/Shutterstock.

Perhaps their most fascinating quality is their ability to camouflage as a means of defending themselves from birds and other predators, including bats.

The bugs closely resemble twigs, which, given their preference to live in dense forests, allows them to seamlessly blend in with their surroundings. 

Adult males usually average 75 millimetres in length, while females are slightly larger, at roughly 95 millimetres. 

Walkingsticks are parthenogenic, meaning they can successfully produce offspring without needing to mate. With this form of asexual reproduction, the growth and development of an embryo occurs without fertilization. 

You're more likely to spot a walkingstick when they're outside of their normal environment, particularly in more urban settings where their appearance sticks out.

Although the insects look intimidating, they're actually completely harmless and are mostly preoccupied with eating leaves. Still, your best bet is to leave the slow-moving insects alone and not pick them up, as their bodies are extremely delicate and fragile.