Praying Mantis

With its long, slender, green body and legs, the Praying Mantis (disambiguation) can easily camouflage itself in the tall grass where it feeds on insects.



Mantises are ambush predators and are the only insects that can turn their head side-to-side 180 degrees.

Bush Katydid

While it may look like a large green grasshopper, this is a Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata) in the family Tettigoniidae (Katydids). The name katydid is derived from the male’s repetitive chirp, which sounds like “katydid, katy-didn’t.” Katydids have large hind legs and  extremely long, threadlike antennae.



A close-up of the head showing the complex mouth-parts for chewing and the compound eye.

Insect - Locust Borer

The goldenrod is starting to bloom and insects of all types are drawn to it. While walking in the fields behind our house, I came across this Locust Borer (Megacyllene robiniae). The borer attacks only black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its hybrids. The honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos L.) is not affected.



The Locust Borer adult beetles emerge late August to September and feed on goldenrod. The adults will lay eggs in locust trees in the fall. The larvae will hibernating through the winter under the bark and tunnel into trees in spring. They pupate late July/early August and when the adults emerge, the cycle starts again.

Bugs (and other insects)

As I take photos of wildflowers, I sometimes get some good close-up shots of common insects, such as this honeybee on a thistle.


A ladybug (ladybird beetle)



Sometimes the bug is not as common but interesting.



A wasp, there are hundreds of different types.



A white moth.



A brightly colored beetle, but I was unable to identify it.



Some insects I was able to identify.

Yellow-collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis)


Ladybug


Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata)