Neoconocephalus ensiger

Distinguished from other Neoconocephalus species by the male's elongated, sword-shaped subgenital plate. The song is diagnostic: males produce a loud, continuous buzzing trill. Can be separated from the slightly similar Neoconocephalus nebrascensis (Nebraska conehead) by differences in song pattern and geographic range. The 'left-handed' wing overlap (left forewing over right) is typical for katydids and opposite to most crickets.

Medium to large katydid with characteristic cone-shaped head. Males possess an elongated, sword-like terminal abdominal appendage (the 'sword' giving the species its common name), which is actually an enlarged subgenital plate rather than a true ovipositor. Body typically green or brown, providing camouflage in grassy vegetation. Forewings of males modified for sound production with file-and-scraper stridulatory apparatus; left forewing overlaps right ('left-handed').

Tallgrass prairie, restored prairie remnants, and grassland habitats with dense herbaceous vegetation. Associated with open areas containing grasses and forbs, often near woodland edges. In Missouri, documented from restored tallgrass prairie with mixed upland forest and grassland.

Eastern and central North America. Documented from Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. Range extends from the Great Plains eastward.

Adults active from mid-summer through early fall (July–September). Final-instar nymphs observed in late August. Peak singing activity during warm, humid nights.

Hemimetabolous development with egg, nymph, and adult stages. Final-instar nymphs undergo nighttime molting to adulthood. Specific details of egg-laying substrate and overwintering stage not documented in available sources.

Males sing primarily at night to attract females, producing loud, continuous trills through forewing stridulation. Nocturnally active, readily attracted to ultraviolet light sources. Observed scavenging behavior not documented; primarily herbivorous. Males establish singing perches in vegetation to broadcast calls.

Herbivore in grassland ecosystems. Serves as prey for various predators including birds, spiders, and other insects. Nymphs and adults contribute to nutrient cycling through herbivory on grasses and forbs.

Subject of bioacoustic research due to distinctive male song. Occasionally encountered by entomologists and naturalists during nocturnal insect surveys. Not considered an agricultural pest.

• Neoconocephalus nebrascensisNebraska conehead overlaps in range and habitat; distinguished by differences in male song pattern and structure of the subgenital plate
• Neoconocephalus robustusRobust conehead similar in size and habitat preference; song and male genitalia structure differ
• Conocephalus spp.Meadow katydids in related genus lack the elongated sword-like male appendage and have different song characteristics

• katydid
• conehead
• stridulation
• nocturnal
• prairie
• grassland
• bioacoustics

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Megalopygidae | Beetles In The Bush
• nature | Beetles In The Bush | Page 2
• Bug Eric: How Insects Sing