oblong-winged katydid

Oblong-winged katydid is a long-horned, round-headed katydid (genus Amblycorypha). It occurs in eastern North America, Mexico, and Central America. In the United States it is common east of the Great Plains. It is found mostly in damp areas on trees, shrubs, and tall weeds in the understory of deciduous forests, at the edges of thickets, and in gardens.

At 1⅝″ to 2″ (42 to 52 mm) long, oblong-winged katydid is the largest round-headed katydid. Their overall color varies but is genetically inherited. The head, body, wings, and legs are usually leaf green, occasionally yellow, rarely tan, orange, brown, or pink.

The head is oval. The top of the head is rounded and strongly curved backward. The face is vertical. The eyes are oval. The antennae are very long and extend well beyond the tip of the abdomen. They are thread-like and have many segments. They are attached high on the face and far apart. The forehead projects forward between the antennae.

The pronotum does not have two small dark spots on each side. On each side the lateral lobe of the pronotum has a deep sinus at the rear upper corner (humeral angle).

The leathery forewings (tegmina) are elongated-oval and 3.1 to 4 times as long as wide. They are held roof-like over the body. A small area at the base of the wing is horizontal and very dark. On the male, this is the stridulatory field. There is a row of bumps (a file) on the underside of the upper wing and a sharp edge (blade) on the upper side of the lower wing. By rubbing the file against the blade, the male produces its distinctive song, a short, high-pitched, 9 kHz “zeee-dik!” that is repeated every few seconds. The female wings are similar but do not have these two sound-producing structures.

The hindwings are membranous, broad, and long. They are folded fan-like under the tegmina when at rest. They are longer than, and not completely covered by, the tegmina.

On the female the ovipositor is shorter than the abdomen, flattened, curved upward.

The front legs are short, the middle legs a little longer, the hind legs much longer. The third segment (femur) of the hind leg extends almost but not quite to the tips of the tegmina. The end section of the leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, has four segments.

Total length: 1⅝″ to 2″ (42 to 52 mm)

Deciduous forests, gardens

One generation per year: June through September

Eggs are deposited in the soil.

Plant juices

Leaves of deciduous plants

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

The Orthoptera of Minnesota, Volumes 76-90, University of Minnesota, Agricultural Experiment Station, 1932, p. 58.

Common

some type of katydid

Some type of Katydid, about 1.5" long on an asphalt hiking path. Phaneroptera_falcata, curve tailed bush katydid, japanese katydid, all came up as matches

I found this on the side of our truck today.

On 08/12/2019, I was outside on our front sidewalk trimming flowers in pots and found this large bright green bug (with long antennae) on our sidewalk that looked like a grasshopper to me.

It wasn’t alarmed by my closeness and the camera. I do not recall ever seeing one before. After looking on minnesotaseasons.com and other sites, I believe I found its ID. I’ve heard Katydids in our yard for years but never thought I was ever looking at one because I assumed they were up in the trees. That one eventually disappeared and I continued to trim flowers. I have a very large pot full of big, colorful Coleus plants, and discovered either the same Katydid or another one on a C deep inside the plant. It sure blended in so well with its leafy green textured wings! (Sorry about my purple silk flowers that its left foot is resting on!) What a really a fun sight for both Norm and I to see.

Amblycorypha oblongifolia eats human being
Lykoloo

Katydid Song-Oblong Winged Katydid
ONnaturegirl

Oblong-winged katydid moving at full speed.
Heather Hopkins

James Folden
9/4/2024

Location: LeSueur County, Kasota township, Lake Washington County Park (Lake Washington Regional Park & Campground)

Some type of Katydid, about 1.5" long on an asphalt hiking path. Phaneroptera_falcata, curve tailed bush katydid, japanese katydid, all came up as matches

Heather Wright
8/5/2024

Location: Columbus, MN

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: Salisbury, Ma

Location: Howard Lake, MN (Wright County)

I found this on the side of our truck today.

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: Maple Grove, MN

On 08/12/2019, I was outside on our front sidewalk trimming flowers in pots and found this large bright green bug (with long antennae) on our sidewalk that looked like a grasshopper to me. It wasn’t alarmed by my closeness and the camera. I do not recall ever seeing one before. After looking on minnesotaseasons.com and other sites, I believe I found its ID. I’ve heard Katydids in our yard for years but never thought I was ever looking at one because I assumed they were up in the trees. That one eventually disappeared and I continued to trim flowers. I have a very large pot full of big, colorful Coleus plants, and discovered either the same Katydid or another one on a C deep inside the plant. It sure blended in so well with its leafy green textured wings! (Sorry about my purple silk flowers that its left foot is resting on!) What a really a fun sight for both Norm and I to see.