Bush-cricket
Guides
Amblycorypha cajuni
Cajun round-headed katydid
Amblycorypha cajuni is a species of round-headed katydid (bush-cricket) in the family Tettigoniidae, described by Walker in 2004. Like other members of its genus, it possesses remarkable leaf-mimicking camouflage with wing venation that closely resembles leaf veins. The species is known from the Gulf Coast region of the United States, specifically Louisiana and Mississippi. As with related Amblycorypha species, males produce courtship songs using stridulatory organs on their forewings, and females detect these songs through tympanal organs located on their forelegs.
Amblycorypha huasteca
Texas false katydid
Amblycorypha huasteca, commonly known as the Texas false katydid, is a species of bush-cricket in the family Tettigoniidae. It belongs to the round-headed katydid genus Amblycorypha, a group renowned for exceptional leaf-mimicry. The species occurs in the south-central United States and northeastern Mexico. Like other Amblycorypha, it produces species-specific songs through stridulation of forewing structures to attract mates.
Amblycorypha insolita
Big Bend Oblong-winged Katydid, Big Bend False Katydid
Amblycorypha insolita is a species of phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, first described by Rehn & Hebard in 1914. Known as the Big Bend oblong-winged katydid or Big Bend false katydid, this species is endemic to the southwestern United States and adjacent northeastern Mexico. It belongs to a genus renowned for exceptional camouflage and acoustic communication.
Amblycorypha longinicta
Common Virtuoso Katydid
Amblycorypha longinicta, commonly known as the Common Virtuoso Katydid, is a species of bush-cricket in the family Tettigoniidae. Described by Walker in 2004, this species belongs to the round-headed katydid genus Amblycorypha, which is distributed across North America and tropical Central America. Like other members of this genus, it exhibits remarkable leaf-mimicry through wing venation patterns that match leaf veins, providing effective camouflage against predators. The species is known to inhabit forested environments where its cryptic appearance allows it to blend seamlessly with vegetation.
Amblycorypha oblongifolia
oblong-winged katydid
Amblycorypha oblongifolia, commonly known as the oblong-winged katydid, is a species of bush-cricket in the family Tettigoniidae. The species is notable for exhibiting unusual color polymorphism, with individuals occurring in green, tan, pink, or rare dark tan/orange morphs. These color variants are genetically determined and present from birth, not influenced by sex, age, or environment. Green is the most common morph, while pink and tan are rare, and dark tan or orange is very rare. The species is found throughout the northeastern and midwestern United States.
Amblycorypha rivograndis
Rio Grande Valley False Katydid
Amblycorypha rivograndis is a species of round-headed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, first described by Thomas J. Walker in 2004. The specific epithet "rivograndis" refers to the Rio Grande Valley, indicating its geographic association with this region of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. Like other members of the genus Amblycorypha, it belongs to a group commonly known as false katydids or bush-crickets, recognized for their remarkable leaf-mimicking camouflage.
Anaxipha delicatula
chirping trig
Anaxipha delicatula, commonly known as the chirping trig, is a species of winged bush cricket in the family Trigonidiidae. It was first described by Scudder in 1878 and is native to North America. The species belongs to a group of small, often colorful crickets known as "trigs" that inhabit vegetation and produce characteristic chirping sounds.
Conocephalus cinereus
Caribbean Meadow Katydid
Conocephalus cinereus is a species of meadow katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, commonly known as the Caribbean Meadow Katydid. It belongs to the subfamily Conocephalinae, which includes abundant orthopterans in eastern North America and adjacent regions. As with other Conocephalus species, it possesses the characteristic long, thread-like antennae that distinguish katydids from true grasshoppers. The species has been documented across the Caribbean region and parts of Central and North America.
Copiphorini
Coneheads
Copiphorini is a tribe of katydids (Tettigoniidae) within the subfamily Conocephalinae, characterized by a distinctive cone-shaped projection on the head that extends forward in front of the antennae base. Members range from 24 to 74 mm in length, with females typically larger than males. The tribe was originally described as a subfamily (Copiphorinae) by Karny in 1912 but has been reclassified. Species produce loud songs through forewing stridulation and possess straight, slender, toothless ovipositors.
Hapithus
Hapithus is a large genus of flightless bush crickets comprising over 200 described species, primarily distributed across the Americas. Formerly treated as a separate genus, Orocharis has been synonymized with Hapithus and is now recognized as a subgenus. The genus is the namesake of the tribe Hapithini within the family Oecanthidae. These crickets are characterized by their inability to fly, a trait that distinguishes them from many related bush crickets.
Hapithus brevipennis
Short-winged Bush Cricket, Short-winged Meadow Katydid
Hapithus brevipennis is a small bush cricket species in the family Gryllidae, native to the southeastern United States. Adults are distinguished by their abbreviated wings, which give the species its common name. Males produce a distinctive song consisting of buzzes and ticks interspersed with pauses to attract females. The species is active in late summer and autumn, with females using a prominent ovipositor to deposit eggs in protected locations.
Idiostatus
Idiostatus is a genus of katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, tribe Platycleidini, native to western North America. The genus was established by Pictet in 1888 and contains approximately 28 species. A diagnostic feature is the lateral lobes of the prothorax, which are as deep as they are long. These insects are part of the diverse bush-cricket fauna of the region.
Leptophyes punctatissima
Speckled Bush-cricket
Leptophyes punctatissima, commonly known as the Speckled Bush-cricket, is a flightless bush-cricket species distributed across most of Europe. It belongs to the subfamily Phaneropterinae and exhibits distinctive acoustic behavior where both sexes stridulate. Males produce calling songs to which females respond with brief chirps, creating a duetting communication system. The species has been studied extensively for its auditory physiology and directional hearing capabilities.
Metrioptera
bush crickets, bog bush crickets, meadow bush crickets
Metrioptera is a genus of bush crickets (Tettigoniidae) in the tribe Platycleidini, commonly known as bog and meadow bush crickets. The genus contains approximately 10 species distributed across Eurasia, including notable species such as Metrioptera brachyptera (the bog bush cricket), M. roeselii (Roesel's bush cricket), and M. bicolor. Species within this genus have been extensively studied as model organisms for understanding insect dispersal, population genetics, and acoustic communication. Several species exhibit wing dimorphism, with both fully winged and short-winged or flightless forms occurring within populations.
Metrioptera roeselii
Roesel's Bush-cricket
Metrioptera roeselii, commonly known as Roesel's Bush-cricket, is a medium-sized bush-cricket native to continental Europe that has undergone significant range expansion in northern Europe since the 1980s. The species is characterized by a distinctive yellow-green coloration with a prominent yellow stripe along the lateral margin of the pronotum. It exhibits wing dimorphism, with both short-winged (brachypterous) and long-winged (macropterous) forms occurring in populations; the long-winged form is associated with range expansion. The species has been introduced to Britain and Scandinavia, with genetic evidence indicating human-mediated dispersal in some isolated populations.
Montezumina
Montezumina is a genus of phaneropterine katydids (family Tettigoniidae) first described by Hebard in 1925. The genus contains at least 30 described species distributed across the Americas from the southeastern United States through Mexico to Central and South America. Members of this genus belong to the subfamily Phaneropterinae, a diverse group of bush crickets and katydids characterized by their relatively slender bodies and often elongated wings.
Neoconocephalus retusus
Round-tipped Conehead
Neoconocephalus retusus, commonly known as the round-tipped conehead, is a species of katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. Adults range from 37 to 52 mm in length and are active during late summer and autumn. The species is found in the eastern United States and southern Canada, typically in wet grassy and weedy habitats.
Odontoxiphidium apterum
Wingless Meadow Katydid
Odontoxiphidium apterum, commonly known as the Wingless Meadow Katydid, is a flightless species of bush cricket in the family Tettigoniidae. It is characterized by the complete absence of wings in both sexes, a rare trait among katydids. The species is restricted to the southeastern United States, where it inhabits grassland and meadow habitats. Its wingless condition distinguishes it from nearly all other North American katydids.
Orocharis
Orocharis is a genus of bush crickets in the family Oecanthidae, historically treated as a subgenus of Hapithus. The genus is characterized by flightless species and has been the subject of systematic studies focusing on acoustic signaling behavior. Taxonomic treatment varies across sources, with some authorities recognizing it as a distinct genus and others as a subgenus within Hapithus.
Phaneroptera
Sickle-bearing Bushcrickets
Phaneroptera is a genus of bush crickets (katydids) in the family Tettigoniidae, established by Jean Guillaume Audinet-Serville in 1831. It is the type genus of the subfamily Phaneropterinae. Species occur across Europe, Africa, and Asia. The genus includes approximately 40 described species, with Phaneroptera falcata (the sickle-bearing bush-cricket) as the type species. Some species have been documented as florivores, feeding selectively on flowers.
Phaneroptera nana
Mediterranean katydid, southern sickle bush-cricket
Phaneroptera nana is a small katydid native to mainland Europe, the Near East, and North Africa. It has established invasive populations in California (first recorded 1952), Oregon (since 2015), and South America, likely spreading via shipping. The species inhabits sunny, dry environments with shrubs and low tree branches. Adults are active primarily in summer and fall.
Phaneroptera nr-nana
Phaneroptera nr-nana is a bush-cricket species within the genus Phaneroptera, a group of katydids found across Europe and Asia. The "nr" designation indicates this taxon is near Phaneroptera nana but has not been formally described or confirmed as that species. Members of this genus are typically florivorous, feeding on flowers rather than leaves.
Phlugis
Phlugis is a genus of small katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, subfamily Meconematinae. These insects belong to the tribe Phlugidini, which shares the genus name. The genus occurs primarily in South American tropical and subtropical regions. Members are generally diminutive compared to many other katydids, reflecting adaptations to their specific ecological niches.
Planipollex
Planipollex is a genus of katydids (family Tettigoniidae) in the subfamily Phaneropterinae, tribe Dichopetalini. It was described in 2014 from material collected in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The genus name refers to the flattened, broadened fore tarsi characteristic of these insects. Members of this genus are arboreal bush-crickets found in arid and semi-arid regions.
Platylyra
Platylyra is a monotypic genus of katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, subfamily Phaneropterinae. It contains a single described species, Platylyra californica, found in California. The genus was established by Scudder in 1898.
Pseudophyllinae
True Katydids
Pseudophyllinae is a large subfamily of katydids (Tettigoniidae) distinguished by exceptional leaf-mimicry. Members typically possess broad, flattened forewings with venation patterns that replicate leaf veins, blotches, and even simulated herbivore damage. The group contains over 20 tribes distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, with major radiations in the Neotropics, Afrotropics, and Southeast Asia. Many species are nocturnal and arboreal, inhabiting forest canopies where their crypsis provides effective predator avoidance.
Tafalisca
Tafalisca is a genus of silent bush crickets in the family Oecanthidae, established by Walker in 1869. The genus comprises species distributed primarily in Central and South America, with one species recorded from Java. Members of this genus are characterized by their lack of stridulatory apparatus, rendering them acoustically silent. The genus is classified within the subfamily Tafaliscinae and tribe Tafaliscini.
Tafalisca eleuthera
Silent Bush Cricket
Tafalisca eleuthera is a species of cricket in the family Oecanthidae, commonly known as the Silent Bush Cricket. The species was described in 2009 from the Bahamas. It belongs to a genus of bush crickets known for reduced or absent calling songs in males.
Tessellana
Tessellana is a genus of bush crickets (katydids) established by Zeuner in 1941. It belongs to the tribe Platycleidini within the subfamily Tettigoniinae. The genus contains six recognized species distributed across mainland Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. The type species is Tessellana tessellata (Charpentier, 1825), originally described as Locusta tessellata.
Tettigoniidae
katydids, bush crickets, long-horned grasshoppers
Tettigoniidae is a large family of orthopteran insects containing over 8,000 described species, commonly known as katydids in North America and bush crickets in the United Kingdom. The family is the only extant member of the superfamily Tettigonioidea within the suborder Ensifera. Members are characterized by extremely long, thread-like antennae that often exceed body length, distinguishing them from true grasshoppers. The family exhibits remarkable diversity in size, ranging from 5 mm to 130 mm, and occupies varied habitats from tropical rainforests to temperate grasslands across all continents except Antarctica.
Tettigoniinae
Shield-backed katydids, Shield-backed bush crickets
A subfamily of katydids (Tettigoniidae) comprising hundreds of species across approximately twelve tribes. Members are characterized by an enlarged, shield-like pronotum that covers much of the thorax. The subfamily exhibits a disjunct Gondwanan distribution pattern, with major faunas in the Americas, Australia, southern Africa, and the Palaearctic region. North American representatives include both ancient Gondwanan lineages (Nedubini) and more recently diversified northern groups.