black-sided meadow katydid

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Black-sided meadow katydid is a small, easily recognized, lesser meadow katydid. It occurs in northern United States from Vermont to South Dakota south to Ohio and Kansas, and in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. It is found in wet marshy areas.

Adults are slender and less than 1″ long. Their striking coloration is unique among North American katydids.

The top of the head (vertex) is yellowish-brown with a black longitudinal line in the middle. The face and the sides of the head below the compound eyes (genae) are dark brown. The eyes are black and somewhat protruding. The antennae are slender and long, much longer than the body. There is a rounded projection between the antennae bases that does not project beyond the first antennal segment.

The exoskeletal plate covering the thorax (pronotum) is mostly dark brown. The margins of each side (lateral lobe) of the pronotum are bright green. There are two small spines on the underside of the thorax.

The abdomen is shiny black. Occasionally it is black on the sides and very dark brown above, especially on females. On the male, the sensory appendages (cerci) at the end of the abdomen are bright green. On the female, the egg-laying appendage (ovipositor) is blade-like, sharply pointed, slender, straight, and long, about as long as the abdomen.

The forewings (tegmina) are leathery, bright green, translucent and short. They do not extend to the end of the abdomen.

The legs are bright green. The greatly enlarged third segment (femur) of the hind leg has one or more spines on the underside. The fourth segment (tibia) of the hind leg has three pairs of spurs. The last part of the leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has four segments.

Total length: Less than 1″

Wet meadows, marshy areas

Plant juices

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82.

on the underside of a milkweed leaf