76 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 353 



Control. Some degree of control may be obtained by picking up the fallen leaf 

 stems every day and immediately burning them before the larvae leave them and 

 enter the ground. 



Britton, W. E. Conn. State Ent. Rpt. 11:305-307. 1911. 



Walkingstick 



Diapheromera femorata Say 



This interesting insect is so named because of its remarkable resemblance to a 

 stick or twig. Because of this resemblance it usually escapes notice when feed- 

 ing on foliage. It is considered to be of little importance but occasionally becomes 

 locally abundant and may defoliate large forested areas in the late summer and 

 early autumn. It attacks the foliage of most deciduous hardwoods, but seems to 

 prefer oak, maple, basswood, and locust. Pitch pine has also been reported to 

 be attacked. 



Description. The body of the mature insect is about 3 

 inches long and is extremely slender, resembling a stick or 

 twig. From the front of the small head two long antennae 

 extend forward. The legs are also slender and about 1^ 

 to 2 inches long. The females are stouter than the males. 

 Both are wingless. The color varies, but shades of gray, 

 brown, and greenish-brown predominate. 



The eggs are hard, bean-shaped, highly polished, slightly 

 less than 1/16 inch long, and black in color with lighter 

 mottled markings. 



The young, or nymphs, resemble the adults in form. 

 When newly hatched they are about 3/8 inch long and are 

 colored a pale yellowish-green. The front legs are speckled 

 with brown. 



Life History. In the autumn, as the adults feed on the 

 foliage, the eggs are dropped at random, falling among 

 the leaves and litter beneath the trees. The following 

 spring, usually in May, these eggs begin to hatch although 

 some may not hatch until the second spring. The nymphs 

 become full grown in late summer and early autumn. 

 There is only one generation a year. 



Control. Walkingsticks are seldom abundant enough 

 in Massachusetts to require any special control measures. 

 If necessary, shade and ornamental trees can be protected 

 against this insect by an application of lead arsenate 

 at the rate of 4 pounds to 100 gallons of water, with 2 

 pounds of flour or 1 pound of calcium caseinate to increase 

 adhesiveness. 



The application of lead arsenate as a dust is also reported 

 to have been successful. Lead arsenate may be used in a 90:10 or 85:15 mixture 

 with hydrated lime. 



Britton, W. E. Conn. State Ent. Rpt. 30:468, 576-577. 1931. 



Britton, W. E. Conn. State Ent. Rpt. 31:505. 1932. 



Felt, E. P. N. Y. State Mus. Mem. 8(2) :533-535. 1906. 



Graham, S. A. Univ. Mich. School Forestry and Conservation. Circ. 3. 1937. 



Packard, A. S. Fifth Rpt. U. S. Ent. Comm.. pp. 317-321. 1890. 



Peirson, H. B. Maine Forest Service Bui. 5:33-34. 1927. 



McDaniel, E. I. Mich. Agr. Exp. Sta. Spec. Bui. 243:5-6. 1933. 



A Walkingstick 



Courtesy, Mich. 

 Agr. Expt. Station. 



J 



