This is a lichen katydid - a master of disguise as it looks just like the lichen that it hides among...
Source: Project Noah
usually a species of beard lichen.
Source: Wikipedia
It is so well camouflaged even its eyes are striped!
Source: Project Noah
There are over 6,000 species of katydids, most living in more tropical climates, and many use camouflage or mimicry to hide themselves in their surroundings. They are also called bush-crickets or long-horned grasshoppers which is one way you can distinguish them from grasshoppers - their long antennae which may be longer than their body. Bush-cricket is probably a more apt name as katydids are more closely related to crickets than grasshoppers. Like crickets, katydids can produce sound by rubbing their wings together. Many katydid species are herbivores eating strictly leaves, bark, seeds and flowers, but others prey on other insects which is the case of the lichen katydid surprising other bugs that are attracted to the lichen.
Here are a few pictures of some other species of katydids.
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Barbitistes obtusus (male) Source: Wikipedia
Porphyromma speciosa Source: Wikipedia
Platycleis affinis, female Source: Wikipedia
To see a video, click here.
I've seen a couple of katydids here and the first time I saw one I didn't know what it was. When I leaned down with the camera to take a photo of it it came at me like it was attacking me, making noise the whole time. Weird.
ReplyDeleteThat top katydid is amazing! Mine were just plain old green.
The lichen katydid is from South America. If it wasn't a katydid, I'd almost say it is beautiful. :-)
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