Stick bugs are a member of the order Phasmatodea from the ancient Greek phasma, which means phantom, an obvious allusion to their camouflage. There are many different varieties of phasmids, some look like sticks, others like leaves. They are obviously difficult to spot, this one almost got sawed in half by accident.
They are slow moving and most don't fly, although a few species can, particularly the smaller, lighter males. They also have compound eyes which gives them good night vision. They grow by molting and as they age their eyes become more light sensitive and they become more and more nocturnal. I found this guy in the middle of a cloudy afternoon. I had been clearing a lot of brush in the area so I'm not sure that he was out moving around, it's more likely that I disturbed him during his daytime nap.
Their reproductive exploits are fascinating as well. They often copulate for days or even weeks at a time. One species of stick bug, Necroscia sparaxes, holds the record for longest mated pairing among all insects... at 79 days. I'm pretty sure my wife would kill me and eat me well before the third month.
While their feeding habits can be damaging to some trees, especially during intense outbreaks, the damage is typically not widespread since they don't get around very well. They usually prefer dining on the leaves of undergrowth in mature forests, so they actually promote the larger trees ability to succeed. Hopefully this guy is munching on our abundant blackberry leaves and not stunting little oak saplings.
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