One trivia here is that a bushcricket called Platycleis affinis has the largest testes in proportion to body mass of any animal recorded. This accounts for the 14% of the insect's body mass and are said to enable a fast re-mating rate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tettigoniidae).
The following katydids mimic a leaf because they stay in very leafy trees, which they eat too. The males sing very loudly at night as courtship signals, but silent during the day because they are nocturnal. The sounds are brought by rubbing the toothed ends of their wings. I tell you they are really loud, but pleasantly loud. When we were kids we love looking for them in their habitat, put them in wire baskets so we can hear their songs every night.
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I love that sound! There are so many varieties out there. I've slowly brought them back into the garden again. At night, when I hear their sounds, I forget I'm in the city.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, We do have katydids in our country --and they do make alot of noise.... One time one of them flew into one of our glass sliding doors.. He was stunned but not hurt. I was outside so I decided to get the broom and sweep him off of the deck... Well---he gave me a squawk that was very very loud.... ha
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
I love the sound early in the season. I must admit that by autumn I am quite ready to listen to the quiet again. Great photographs!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, What an interesting looking insect! I haven't ever seen one like it. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a me a nice comment. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Beth
very interesting bug, nothing like that I know
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, So you are having words in the pictures now? LOL? I haven't seen kaytids around. Only grasshoppers. I suppose you can't keep a kaytid on the 5th floor, can you?
ReplyDeleteBtw, I posted a photo of a golden baby monkey this morning at Topical Nature Photos. There would be more coming.
I like the sound of Katydid too. Like One noted, I see you are doing text on images. I remember you asking me how to do it so long ago. Glad you figured it out, it looks great.
ReplyDeleteChris - that's a good way of mimicking the wild, but do you have the plant which they eat?
ReplyDeleteBetsy - I am very glad you are home now and again kicking and well. Yes i see in google images that there is even a pink katydid,but i haven't seen other species here.
NCmountain - here we hear them only during the rainy season, i don't know what stages they are in during the dry season!
Beth - thanks for coming over too! Do you know that there is even a pink katydid? I saw it in google images, but i don't know which country has it.
Andrea - hi, i miss you my namesake! Maybe you have it because they said it has 6,400 species, just that it's not in your vicinity.
One - i figured out how to do that because i've seen it in some posts and yours too! That is because i am trying to make Christmas cards personalized for my friends from my photos. My problem now is how to draw in the watermark area, maybe free Picasa doesn't have it. You can keep katydid only if you have the shoots of a plant which they eat! haha! The 5th Floor is in the big city, no katydids here.
Donna - I already forgot i asked you that, but of course i am the person who can't remember anything except when it is attached to an emotion. Amazing isn't it. I am already forgetful even in grade I, so you can imagine now if i can remember my name! LOLLLL! I figured it out because I am trying to personalize Christmas cards.
What an amazing creature, Andrea! I'm so glad it stuck around to pose for you. It's bright green leaf shaped body is a delight to behold. I wonder if the katydis is the sound I hear in our garden sometimes...
ReplyDeletea lovely post with beautiful pictures and a lovely tale!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is a cute little insect. Thanks for the birthday wishes on my blog.
ReplyDeleteOk, so now I am hung like a Cricket. Well depends who you ask.
ReplyDeleteCute little insect, story, and photologue Andrea! :)
ReplyDeleteAndra,
ReplyDeleteGrasshopper, crickets and katydids belong to the insect order Orthoptera.
They can be found in Ontario, Canada as well.
-Cheers Gisela.
The link below shows many species:
http://www.ojibway.ca/orthoptera.htm
Nice photo essay! Lovely captures. He is certainly well-camouflaged.
ReplyDeleteWe have Katydids here too. They always remind me of trips to the mountains with my family because we usually went in August when the Katydid's song is prominent here.
ReplyDeleteOh, I could listen to the katydids forever. Wow, can they be loud and what a chorus! Love the bright green of your little critter.
ReplyDeleteMeems
This was a VERY interesting post, Andrea! Loved the photos of your visitor! I enjoy hearing Katydids sounds so much in the evenings!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments on my blog! We've had unusually cool weather lately. It's supposed to be 36 degrees tonight. Of course winter desert nights, you do expect cold, but just not in early November!
Katydid is a really nice and unique name. I always thought that crickets are brown in colour. I like this green one.
ReplyDelete