Walking sticks have green, gray, or brown bodies that closely resemble twigs or grass stems. Most are wingless and have long antennae. They range from less than 1 in.
Some tropical species bear sharp spines resembling thorns.
Walking sticks, unlike most insects, have the ability to regenerate lost limbs. The young resemble the adults but are smaller. Although principally tropical and Asian in distribution, walking sticks are also found in temperate regions of Europe and North America. One species, Megaphasma dentricus, is the longest insect in the United States, attaining a length of 7 in. Walking sticks are classified in the phylum Arthropoda , class Insecta, order Phasimida, suborder Phasmotodea, family Phasmatidae.