Neduba diabolica
(Scudder, 1899)
Diabolic Shieldback
Neduba diabolica is a of shield-backed katydid in the Tettigoniidae. It is known from western North America, with records from California. The species is one of several documented as prey for the Great Golden Digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus).
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Neduba diabolica: //nəˈduːbə ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪkə//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Distribution
Western North America; confirmed records from California. GBIF distribution records indicate presence in North America generally.
Ecological Role
Documented prey item for the Great Golden Digger wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus), a solitary that hunts katydids to provision nests for its larvae.
More Details
Predator documentation
Eric (2011) documented Neduba as a whose are preyed upon by Sphex ichneumoneus. This is the only behavioral or ecological information currently available for N. diabolica specifically.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- Diabolical Ironclad Beetle: Crush It With a Car and It Still Survives | Bug Squad
- Bug Eric: Wasp Wednesday: Great Golden Digger
- Twisting the day away: Boxwood leafminer, Monarthropalpus flavus — Bug of the Week
- A blue Christmas for boxwood: Boxwood leafminer, Monarthropalpus flavus — Bug of the Week