Last month while I was in western New York I found this critter.

It seemed to be a grasshopper, but with very long antennae.

I backed out to try to get all the antennae in the frame. Then it struck me that it felt like trying to take a photograph of katydid nymphs back home (previous post).


The insects we usually think of as grasshoppers don’t have such long antennae.


This little guy is actually a meadow katydid or longhorned grasshopper (genus Conocephalus).

Meadow katydids don’t sing the katy-did, katy-did of regular katydids. They tend to buzz or rattle, instead.

Here’s an example of a common meadow katydid singing.

Did you notice one of its antennae was shorter? Likely it got broken off, which seems it could be a real hazard with such long ones.

Check out all the different meadow katydid songs at the Songs of Insects website including one that sounds like a lawn sprinkler.

Have you heard meadow katydids sing?