Apart from their smaller size, members of the Lesser Meadow Katydids are just like their larger relatives in most every other way.
Katydids have very long antennae, a feature that sets them apart from grasshoppers. They are strong jumpers and can fly. Lesser Meadow Katydids are smaller than others, and they have a cone-shaped head that is a bright green color without markings. A brown stripe runs down the back. Long legs are speckled with tiny brown spikes. Females have straight, syringe-like ovipositors that they use to inject fertilized eggs into plant stems. It is not a stinger.
As their common name suggests, the members of this genus are typically found in grassy areas, overgrown fields, and meadows, feeding on the variety of plants growing around them. Listen for singing males during the day. Only one generation per year is produced.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Orthoptera
Family:Tettigoniidae
Genus:Conocephalus
Species:spp.
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Conocephalus spp.
Category:
Grasshopper or Cricket
Size (Adult; Length): 10mm to 27mm (0.39in to 1.05in)
Colors: green, brown, white
Descriptors: brown spine, brown, stripe, line, grasshopper, tiny wings, specks on legs, jumping, flying
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Colors: green, brown, white
