High up on a branch, these katydid eggs were quite noticeable
I was out enjoying the nature that is my yard early the other morning, before the blasted heat of the Florida sun made it impossible to stay outside.
I always am looking for new natural patterns on the plants and trees that might reveal clues to Mother Nature’s wonder. These observations are how I learn what I missed for so many years while I lived in oblivion to life going on around me.
Never disappointed, I glanced skyward, looking for critters of interest in my Sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis) and was rewarded by a leaf edge that appeared to be full of eggs. I pulled down the branch to get a closer look, took a few photos and headed into the trusty computer to find out exactly what I was encountering.
I headed over to bugguide.net and put in the search terms “eggs” and “sycamore”. Lo’ and behold, Angle-wing Katydids (Microcentrum spp.) popped up. Rather than laying its eggs within plant tissues or in soil, this species lays its eggs in exposed rows on the edges of leaves or along stems.
Greater Angle-Wing Katydid (Microcentrum spp. likely rhombifolium)
Katydids can be considered pests because they are herbivorous, consuming foliage, stems, flower petals, fruit of trees, weeds, and crops; some also eat nectar and pollen. On the other hand, a few are known carnivores that prey on other insects so I guess not all are pests. Katydids are capable of biting and may do so if handled roughly.
Katydids undergo incomplete metamorphosis molting several times.
Katydids have incomplete metamorphosis, having 3 life cycle stages: egg, nymph and adult. As they grow, they shed their exoskeletons (molt). In their last molt, they get wings and they become adults. While some katydid species are active during the day, most are nocturnal. They can move around less likely to be spotted by predators. Katydids are not social; they don’t live in groups.
A Chalcid Wasp was already using the katydid eggs to provide for it’s own young
I learned that the eggs are parasitized by Chalcid Wasps (Anastatus spp.) and upon closer inspection of my photos, I got an additional educational benefit since a wasp was already working on keeping Mom nature in balance.
angle-wing katydids are hard to spot since they blend in with nature’s greenery
There are many other natural predators of katydids including spiders, ants, praying mantids, tree frogs, birds and bats. Katydid nymphs are an important diet component for baby birds.
There are many different species of katydids such as this Red-headed Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum erythrocephalum)
For me the highlight of having katydids in your beautiful wildlife garden is the melodious sounds they provide. It always is a most soothing encounter to lie back on the chaise lounge and listen in on a heated summer night. Nature at it’s best.
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About Loret T. Setters
Thanks for this lovely post Loret. When I was growing up in New England, my mother always told us to listen for the first katydid, because it would then be 6 weeks to the first frost. Of course, this doesn’t hold true here in Florida, but I still enjoy hearing them.
Ginny Stibolt recently posted..Two Geezers and a Shed!
Thanks Ginny!
If we get a frost in September, I’m blaming your mother
Loret T. Setters recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style
Nice pictures and information. So many evenings I sit and listen to the sounds coming from the garden. Some are easy ,others are hard to separate into individuals. The link of insect song is very good. Seems the greater anglewing is more common in our habitat than the common katydid. The scissor grinder cicada makes much noise here but recently I think we may have heard a dog day cicada. At the time our grandson and I winced at the high pitch and wondered what it could be.
We will be looking up for those katydid eggs soon thanks to your info.
Gloria recently posted..Pollinators In The Garden In March
Thanks Gloria,
I think I need to spend a little more time trying to separate out the sounds in the yard. Maybe that link will help me along. It was a good find via internet search!
Loret T. Setters recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style
Nice post, Loret. Thanks so much for the link to insect ‘songs’. Just what I’ve been looking for to determine what kind of crickets we have out here. I so love hearing them.. then I know summer is truly underway.
Kathy @nativegardener recently posted..Rerouting the Rain
Thanks Kathy,
Let me know how to differentiate between the different evening “noisemakers”. I’m not sure I can tell a cricket from a cicada or a frog from a barking dog
Loret T. Setters recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style
I believe you identified for me an insect I was unsure of Loret…some sort of katydid I photographed…I recognize the sound too. Fascinating insect I will have to look for more and do some research of my own.
Donna@Gardens Eye View recently posted..Gardens Eye Journal-August 2012
Hi Donna,
Glad I could help. I find bugguide.net as the best place to narrow down the genus/species of insects even tho sometimes it takes me hours of scrolling to do so.
Loret T. Setters recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style
Loret, I really enjoyed the katydid post – photos and information. I can’t imagine summer evenings without the sound of katydids and am glad to know a bit more about them. I’m impressed that you found the eggs, got such a good image and identified them. I also appreciate the link to “Songs of Insects” and am bookmarking if for future reference.
Betty Hall recently posted..Insect bait – an experiment in fermentation
Thanks Betty,
I’d love to know how they get the songs and how they identify them! I can’t tell who’s who in my garden by sound.
Loret T. Setters recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style
Oh my gosh..I saw one and didn’t have my camera..but now I am going to go look for eggs..great post…Michelle
Rambling Woods recently posted..Release Day For Two Monarch Butterflies August 13, 2012
Thanks Michelle,
Finding the eggs was an unexpected treat. It pays to look up. And it was especially nice that an adult showed up in a completely different section of the yard to give me the “after” pic. It also pays that I keep my point and shoot in my pocket at all times.
Loret T. Setters recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style
Thanks for the article and the great photos of the Anglewing eggs. I teach insect song classes all around NE Ohio and do cricket and katydid surveys for one of the NE Ohio park districts. I’d just like to add that katydids and crickets are very gentle. They may lightly nibble at my skin while they sit in my hand or on my finger, but I have never experienced anything that I could consider a bite. A couple of the larger grasshoppers – yes. However, that was just because they were chewing on my skin as if it were plant material and they have very powerful jaws. Katydids are wonderful insects to share will people of all ages, and kids especially seek to find both katydids and crickets quite delightful.
Hi Lisa
Thanks for stopping by and giving the bite anecdote. I’ve yet to ever have a problem, but then again, I’m kind of a sissy when it comes to actually touching the bugs with my bare hands so I mostly have gloves on.
I’d love to sit in on an insect song class, that’s sounds simply FUN! I always say “Teach them young” and it sounds like you are donig just that!
Loret T. Setters recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style
Loret, ah ha! Your photo of Katydid eggs solved one of my recent garden mysteries. Cool beans! “Life” eggs (never before seen)!!!! Thanks for the great post, super photos, and fun wildlife garden info.
Pat Sutton recently posted..Red Admiral MEGA Migration, May 2012
Glad I could oblige, Pat. Funny how we have lived our lives without ever noticing them before. I’m always excited to find new things in the garden, and then I am relentless in researching to find out what the heck they are!
Loret recently posted..Rockin and Rolling Caterpillar Style