Katydid
This great photo of a katydid comes from Jim Phillips. Well, actually, his sister-in-law Diane, who took these photo near Barnegat Bay in September. This one is probably a male as it has no ovipositor.
Lately I have been noticing crypsis–the various means an animal will employ to avoid observation. Crypsis covers all aspects, including nocturnal behavior (i.e. staying at home when diurnal predators are out), subterranean lifestyle (living where predators don’t normally go), and transparency (you can’t see what you can’t… um… see), but by far the most obvious hiding mechanism is camouflage. I find the leaf mimicry on this katydid to be astonishing; if this bug were in my pear tree I probably wouldn’t see it if I were looking right at it!
Thanks, Diane!
Slowly getting the site back onto an even keel. It's nice to get back into the old posting rhythm.
David Brady said,
January 15, 2008 @ 2:05 pm
I just realized, it’s not every day that you get to use the words “obvious hiding” in a sentence.
jim phillips said,
January 16, 2008 @ 12:59 pm
Diane let me know that my brother Brian is the one who first noticed it and borrowed her camera to take a picture.