Rattler Round-Winged Katydid

katydid [ˈkādēˌdid]

NOUN a large, typically green, long-horned grasshopper native to North America. The male makes a characteristic sound that resembles the name.

These insects are often called "bush crickets" and are noted for their nocturnal mating calls. Katydids are also known for their large hind legs and extremely long threadlike antennae and the thick, upwardly curved ovipositor (egg-laying structure) of the females.They belong to a group of about 6,000 species in the cricket family. Katydids are widespread and are typically found living in grasses, trees and bushes, often matching the appearance of their surroundings. 

I stopped watering my plants the other evening long enough to take a couple of photos of this katydid. I noticed it was different from other katydids I'd seen because of the brown colored "triangle" on its upperpart. From my research, I gleaned that this katydid is called a Rattler Round-winged Kaydid and it belongs to a major group of katydids known as false katydids and a sub-group called round-headed katydids.

Rattler Round-Winged Katydid

The Rattler Round-winged Katydid is common and often found in shrubs at or below eye level. Known as an excellent leaf mimic, it seems to frequently sit in the open so it is easier to find than many other katydids. It produces a rattler sound when it sings at night, hence the name that was pinned to it. This katydid usually begins singing around the middle of July. Adults are very susceptible to frosts and do not survive the first couple of freezing nights.

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Photos taken 5/30/2020

Rosy Maple Moth

This colorful moth decided to fly indoors without realizing the danger within- like the crazy cat that chases and kills every little thing that moves or the dog that sometimes gets the urge to snap at flying insects.  After a few minutes to trying to capture it without causing injury, my grandson finally succeeded- I was able to snap a quick shot of the moth on the tip of his finger before he released him on our back porch.  

Have a wonderful Monday and a great week!

Bush Katydids

While scanning the flower garden with my camera lens, I spotted something move on the Blue Salvia.   I stepped in and zoomed closer.  Through the lens I saw a couple itsy bitsy insects, one tinier than the other, with super long antennae.  It was the antennae moving that had, seconds before then, caught my attention.  Were these young grasshoppers?  I wondered.

A quick look online informed me that these are nymph katydids.  More than likely, they are fork-tailed bush katydids, the most widespread katydids in the U.S. 

These little nymphs will lose their colors as they grow, with the exception of green.  I had seen the adult katydids before but didn't know the difference between them and grasshoppers.  

I found a couple interesting web sites about katydids- Bug Eric's blog (click here for the link) and Bug of the Week (click here).   

I hope your week gets off to a great start!  Thank you so much for visiting my blog!  

Brief Season of Liatris Spicata

For a few weeks the lavender colored blooms of Liatris spicata attracted all sorts of insects to my back yard garden.  Butterflies and bees particularly enjoyed it.  I grew these plants from corms then transplanted them to my garden during early spring.  They grew rapidly and required little care. Little did I know that the field across the road would be full of Liatris spicata blooms!  I may just dig some of those plants up and bring them to my garden next year.  

Thank you for stopping by!  I hope your summer is going well. 

It's been a busy, busy one for me- I need some time off to catch my breath!

"News Bee"

As I was sitting on my back porch the other day, a large flying insect landed on the chair next to me. I had never seen one like this one- brightly colored in stripes of yellow, black and brown.  It reminded me of a hornet or some kind of yellow jacket.  I thought to myself that this one could probably cause a deeply painful sting.  

Of course, I had to know what kind of insect I was dealing with here.  Come to find out, it's neither a hornet or a yellow jacket.  Rather, it's a fly.  That's right- a fly, a flower fly in the family Syrphidae. This particular species is known as Milesia virginiensis.  In American folklore and superstition, it's called the “News Bee"- for it will sometimes hover in front of a person, as if it were “giving them the news.”  It can be easily mistaken for a European hornet or queen yellowjacket.

I found an interesting and informative blog post about this hover fly at Bug Eric's site.  I was relieved to find out that this colorful insect is basically harmless to humans.  

One more tidbit of info: Milesia virginiensis' image was used on the 33 cent US postage stamp in 1999.

My Flower Garden in May

May has seen more than her share of stormy weather.  My flower gardens were often a muddy mess, but most of the flowers fared well from the inclement weather.

An Eastern Black Swallowtail checks out the Lantana

Can you see the tiny Skipper on this bloom?
(Wish I could remember the name of this plant- my amnesia is kicking in)

Lovely Red Pentas

A busy Bumble Bee buzzed from flower to flower

He is particularly fond of the Foxgloves (I am too!)

Buzzzzzzz

My Asiatic Lily is now blooming and the size of it has quadrupled since last year!
 Time to transplant this one.

My first Hibiscus plant.  The huge, gorgeous blooms convinced me to bring it home.

I planted a few Double Tiger Lily bulbs back in February.
They're now gorgeous!  Wish their blooms would last longer!

I love this shade of pink.  Pink Verbena.

The first of the Liatris Spicata plants has bloomed.  
Several stalks are coming up and will soon bloom as well.

Several of these tiny insects (some sort of small bee?) are creeping about on the Gaillardia blooms

The young and the old, side by side

A Different Perspective

Sometimes we need to look at life from a different perspective...

Flowers:  Blue Salvia and Blue Agapanthus

Butterflies:  Silver-spotted Skipper and an Unidentified Skipper

Insect:  Honey Bee ?

Live Like It's Spring

Absolutely...

Black-Eyed Susans

5/7/15

April Blooms in My Garden

Despite all the rain, our newly planted flowers and shrubs did well during April.  Daytime temperatures have been comfortable enough, so I've spent a good portion of my spare time outdoors. Our flower gardens are fresh and lively.  I wish they would stay as colorful and fresh as they are now, but the summer heat will soon set in and destroy some of their beauty.  Some of my favorites from the month of April...

Blue Salvia is a favorite for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds

The St. Joseph's Lily bud attracted a tiny visitor- anyone happen to know what kind of spider this is?

One of three varieties of Hosta planted in my gardens

I love the color combinations of this Lantana- "Luscious Berry" from Proven Winners 

I did a mass planting of them a few feet from the back porch- they're so pretty!

Gaillardias aka Fire Wheels or Blanket Flowers are always a hit with their bright orange & yellow petals 

The Scarlet Milkweed is already growing like crazy!

A beautiful "weed"

The Scarlet Milkweed attracts butterflies, in particular the Monarch.  It also attracts Milkweed bugs.

The Kleim's Hardy Gardenia shrubs have bloomed beautifully

I love Gardenias!