Fork-tailed Bush Katydid
Scudderia furcata
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Orthoptera
- Suborder: Ensifera
- Infraorder: Tettigoniidea
- Family: Tettigoniidae
- Subfamily: Phaneropterinae
- Genus: Scudderia
- Species: furcata
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Scudderia furcata: /skʌˈdɛɹ.i.ə fɜːrˈkeɪ.tə/
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Summary
Scudderia furcata, commonly known as the fork-tailed bush katydid, is a species in the family Tettigoniidae found in diverse habitats throughout North America. The species exhibits a range of color forms and can be a pest in agricultural settings.
Physical Characteristics
Male supra-anal plate large, inflated with lobes forming a deep U or fork. Color varies widely from typical leaf-green to completely pink, especially in individuals from Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
Identification Tips
Almost identical to S. fasciata, which has dark striping on tegmina.
Habitat
Weedy fields, thickets, forest edges, and meadows.
Distribution
Throughout most of the U.S. and into southern Canada, with replacement in southern California, southern Arizona, and parts of west Texas by Scudderia mexicana.
Diet
The nymphs can be pests of citrus fruit.
Economic Impact
Nymphs are known to be pests of citrus fruit.
Similar Taxa
Tags
- orthoptera
- insect
- katydid
- north america
- pest