Stridulation
Guides
Hemiphileurus illatus
Lesser Triceratops Beetle
Hemiphileurus illatus is a rhinoceros beetle in the subfamily Dynastinae, known as the lesser triceratops beetle. Adults are black, 19–25 mm long, with a pitted exoskeleton and two cephalic horns—smaller in females. Unlike its congener Phileurus truncatus, it lacks a third horn. The species is native to the southwestern United States and is attracted to UV light.
Holocnemus pluchei
Marbled Cellar Spider
Holocnemus pluchei is a cellar spider native to the Mediterranean region that has been introduced to North America, Australia, and other regions. It is notable for its group-living behavior, with multiple individuals often sharing communal webs. Both sexes possess stridulatory organs, an unusual trait among spiders. The species exhibits a unique defensive behavior called 'bouncing' when disturbed. It has been identified as a source of allergenic proteins that can trigger asthma in sensitive individuals.
Hybosoridae
scavenger scarab beetles, scavenger and pill scarab beetles
Hybosoridae is a family of scarabaeiform beetles comprising over 600 species in 78 extant genera. Members are small (5–7 mm), oval beetles with distinctive antennae bearing a deeply grooved 8th antennomere that houses the 9th and 10th segments. The family was historically recognized as distinct based on unique larval characteristics, particularly the stridulatory behavior of rubbing front legs against the epipharynx margin. Formerly, the family Ceratocanthidae was merged into Hybosoridae, expanding its constituency.
Hydropsychidae
Net-spinning Caddisflies
Hydropsychidae, commonly known as net-spinning caddisflies, is a family of aquatic insects in the order Trichoptera. Larvae construct silk nets at the openings of their retreats to capture food particles from flowing water. The family is globally distributed in freshwater habitats and serves as important bioindicators of stream health. Larvae exhibit unique behaviors including territorial defense through stridulation and competitive interactions for retreat ownership.
Hylurgopinus rufipes
Native Elm Bark Beetle
The native elm bark beetle is a small scolytine weevil and principal vector of Dutch elm disease in the northern Great Plains and prairie provinces of Canada. Adults are brownish-red, measuring 2.3–2.9 mm, and complete one generation annually. Overwintered adults emerge in spring to colonize weakened or dying American elm, constructing egg galleries in the inner bark where larvae feed on cambium tissue. The species exhibits distinctive acoustic communication: males produce simple multipulse calls, stress/rivalry chirps, and bimodal premating stridulation at gallery sites, while females do not stridulate. Males become strongly arrested at attractive female galleries and engage in brief contests with rival males shortly after a resident male establishes presence.
Lamiinae
Flat-faced Longhorn Beetles, Flat-faced Longhorns
Lamiinae is a subfamily of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) distinguished by their orthognathous head orientation, where the face is vertical and mouthparts directed downward—hence the common name 'flat-faced longhorns.' The subfamily is extraordinarily diverse, containing over 750 genera and rivaled only by Cerambycinae in species richness within the family. Members are primarily wood-boring beetles, with larvae developing in living or dead plant tissues across a wide range of host plants.
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.
Ligurotettix
Clicker Grasshoppers
Ligurotettix is a genus of clicker grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, subfamily Gomphocerinae, containing at least two described species: L. coquilletti (desert clicker grasshopper) and L. planum (Pecos clicker grasshopper). Members are known for their distinctive acoustic territorial displays. The genus is distributed across southwestern North American deserts.
Ligurotettix coquilletti
desert clicker grasshopper, creosote bush grasshopper
A slant-faced grasshopper species specialized on creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) across the southwestern deserts of North America. Males are highly territorial, defending individual host plants as mating territories through acoustic stridulation. The species exhibits a distinctive evening chorus behavior and maintains a color polymorphism (banded and uniform morphs) shaped by predation pressure. Females oviposit in bare soil away from host plants, and the species undergoes winter egg diapause.
Melacoryphus admirabilis
Admirable Seed Bug
Melacoryphus admirabilis is a seed bug in the family Lygaeidae, native to the Nearctic region of North America. The species is closely related to other soapberry bugs and shares ecological associations with plants in the family Sapindaceae. It occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico, typically in warm, arid habitats. Like other members of its genus, it feeds on seeds and plant fluids. The species is occasionally encountered in large aggregations.
Merope
earwigfly, forcepfly
Merope is a genus of scorpionflies (Mecoptera) in the family Meropeidae, commonly known as earwigflies or forcepflies. The genus contains Merope tuber, the only living member of Meropeidae in North America. Males possess large segmented forceps-like cerci that resemble the pincers of earwigs. The family is exceptionally rare, with only three extant species described worldwide, and the immature stages remain unknown to science.
Metaleptea
clip-wing grasshoppers
Metaleptea is a genus of short-horned grasshoppers (family Acrididae) containing at least two described species distributed across North, Central, and South America. The genus is characterized by specialized wing structures used in acoustic communication. Males produce three distinct sound types—copulation, rivalry, and crepitation—through stridulation of modified hindwing veins against the forewings. The best-known species, Metaleptea brevicornis, is commonly called the clip-wing grasshopper.
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.
Microcentrum californicum
California Angle-winged Katydid, California Anglewing
Microcentrum californicum, the California Angle-winged Katydid, is the smallest member of its genus, with adults measuring 41-52 millimeters. Males possess a brown stridulation area on the shoulders, similar to the Lesser Angle-wing Katydid, but the species' geographic range prevents confusion. It is nocturnal and attracted to lights.
Microcentrum minus
Texas Angle-wing Katydid, Texas Anglewing
Microcentrum minus, commonly known as the Texas Angle-wing Katydid, is the smallest species in the genus Microcentrum. It is a leaf-mimicking katydid found only in extreme south Texas, making it the most geographically restricted member of its genus in the United States. Like other angle-wing katydids, it exhibits cryptic green coloration and produces sound through stridulation.
Microcentrum retinerve
lesser angle-winged katydid, Lesser Anglewing
Microcentrum retinerve, commonly known as the lesser angle-winged katydid, is a North American species in the family Tettigoniidae. Adults range from 44-53 millimeters in length, smaller than the related Greater Angle-wing Katydid (M. rhombifolium). Males produce a calling song consisting of 3-5 rapid pulses repeated about once per second. The species is found in deciduous forest habitats from the eastern United States west to Missouri and extreme east Texas.
Mutillidae
Velvet Ants, Hairy Ants, Panda Ants
Mutillidae, commonly known as velvet ants, are a family of solitary wasps comprising over 3,000 described species. Despite their common name, they are not ants but wingless female wasps that resemble large, hairy ants. The family exhibits striking sexual dimorphism: females are apterous (wingless), brightly colored, and possess a powerful sting, while males are winged and generally darker in coloration. Velvet ants are parasitoids of ground-nesting bees and wasps, with females actively searching for host nests to lay eggs on or near the host pupae or larvae. They form one of the world's largest known Müllerian mimicry complexes, with numerous species sharing aposematic red, orange, or yellow and black coloration to warn predators of their potent defensive capabilities.
Nauphoeta cinerea
Cinereous Cockroach, Speckled Cockroach, Lobster Cockroach
Nauphoeta cinerea is a circumtropical cockroach species native to northeastern Africa that has achieved global distribution through human association. Commonly known as the cinereous, speckled, or lobster cockroach, this species is frequently used as a laboratory model for studying social behavior, neurobiology, and reproductive physiology. Males establish strict dominance hierarchies that determine territorial rights and mating access, with social status mediated through pheromonal communication and acoustic stridulation. The species has been documented harboring Wolbachia endosymbionts of the F clade, which may provide nutritional benefits.
Neoconocephalus
common coneheads, conehead katydids
Neoconocephalus is a genus of large katydids in the tribe Copiphorini, commonly known as conehead katydids. Members are characterized by a prominent cone-shaped projection on the head, which varies in shape and size among species. The genus is distributed across the Americas, with many species in North America and additional diversity in Central and South America. Conehead katydids are notable for their acoustic communication, with males producing species-specific songs to attract females. Some species exceed seven centimeters in length, making them among the largest katydids in their range.
Neoconocephalus caudellianus
Caudell's conehead
Neoconocephalus caudellianus, commonly known as Caudell's conehead, is a species of katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is native to southeastern North America, with confirmed records from Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi. As a member of the genus Neoconocephalus, it is among the largest katydids in eastern North America, with some congeners exceeding seven centimeters in length. Like other conehead katydids, males produce species-specific calling songs through stridulation of modified forewings.
Neoconocephalus ensiger
Sword-bearing Conehead, Swordbearer
Neoconocephalus ensiger is a katydid species in the conehead tribe Copiphorini, recognized by the male's elongated, sword-like ovipositor-like structure at the abdomen tip. Males produce loud, distinctive songs through stridulation of modified forewings. The species occurs in grassland and prairie habitats across eastern and central North America. It is primarily nocturnal and has been observed molting to adulthood at night near ultraviolet light sources.
Novomessor
Desert Long-legged Ants
Novomessor is a genus of desert-dwelling ants comprising three species. The genus was described by Carlo Emery in 1915, treated as a synonym of Aphaenogaster for decades, and reinstated as valid in 2015 based on phylogenetic evidence. Species inhabit arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where they function as important granivores and exhibit sophisticated foraging behaviors including cooperative prey retrieval and multimodal navigation.
Odontota
locust leaf miners
Odontota is a genus of leaf beetles in the family Chrysomelidae, comprising approximately eight to nine described species. The genus includes notable agricultural and forestry pests, particularly species that mine leaves of leguminous trees. The most well-known species, Odontota dorsalis (locust leaf miner), feeds on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and related species, causing distinctive "scorched" foliage damage. Several species have been documented with specialized behaviors including extended copulation and post-copulatory mate guarding.
Odontota dorsalis
locust leaf miner, locust leafminer
Odontota dorsalis, commonly known as the locust leaf miner, is a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is native to North America and feeds primarily on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) and related species in the Fabaceae family. The beetle is known for producing distinctive 'scorched' damage on host trees, caused by both adult skeletonization and larval leaf mining. Two generations occur annually in most of its range.
Odontotaenius disjunctus
patent-leather beetle, horned passalus, betsy beetle, Jerusalem beetle
Odontotaenius disjunctus is a large, flight-capable but predominantly walking beetle that inhabits decaying hardwood logs in temperate North American forests. Adults exhibit subsocial behavior, including cooperative brood care and acoustic communication via stridulation. The species plays a significant role in wood decomposition through specialized gut microbiomes that digest lignocellulose.
Oecanthus
tree crickets, common tree crickets
Oecanthus is a genus of tree crickets comprising approximately 20 recognized species distributed across North America and other regions. These small, slender crickets are known for their distinctive acoustic communication, with males producing species-specific songs by stridulating their modified forewings. The genus includes both arboreal species found in shrubs and trees, as well as species inhabiting grassy fields and meadows.
Oecanthus californicus
Western Tree Cricket
Oecanthus californicus, the Western Tree Cricket, is a species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae. It is found in western North America, including the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is one of five tree cricket species recorded in Colorado. Males produce songs by stridulating their forewings to attract females, and engage in courtship feeding involving a metanotal gland secretion. The species has been observed in habitats ranging from coniferous woodlands to grassy fields and meadows.
Oecanthus californicus pictipennis
A subspecies of Western Tree Cricket found in western North America. Males produce species-specific songs by stridulating modified forewings to attract females. Like other tree crickets, males possess a metanotal gland that secretes a feeding substance consumed by females during courtship. Identification to subspecies level requires examination of antennal markings on the first two basal segments.
Oecanthus forbesi
Forbes' tree cricket
Oecanthus forbesi is a species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae, native to North America. The species is closely related to O. nigricornis and can be distinguished reliably only by the pulse rate of the male's song, which increases with temperature. Males produce sound through stridulation, with a measured rate of 55-56 pulses per second at approximately 15°C. The species has a yellowish head with distinctive black markings on the first two antennal segments.
Oecanthus latipennis
Broad-winged tree cricket
Oecanthus latipennis, the broad-winged tree cricket, is a species of tree cricket in the family Oecanthidae. It is found in eastern North America, with records from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and surrounding regions. Like other members of the genus Oecanthus, males produce songs by stridulation to attract females. The species is distinguished from congeners by its relatively broad forewings.
Oecanthus quadripunctatus
Four-spotted Tree Cricket
Oecanthus quadripunctatus, the four-spotted tree cricket, is a small cricket species in the subfamily Oecanthinae. It is one of five tree cricket species documented in Colorado and occurs across North America. The species is distinguished by markings on the first two antennal segments, though identification to species can be challenging due to the minute size of these diagnostic features. Males produce songs using modified forewings and possess a metanotal gland that secretes a substance consumed by females during courtship.
Orchelimum
meadow katydid
Orchelimum is a genus of meadow katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, comprising 21 described species. These insects are characterized by their exceptionally long, thread-like antennae and are among the most abundant orthopterans in eastern North America and adjacent Canada. Males produce species-specific songs through stridulation, rubbing a file on one forewing against a scraper on the other. Many species exhibit opportunistic predation on other insects, particularly when plant food sources are limited or when seeking additional protein.
Orchelimum erythrocephalum
Red-headed Meadow Katydid
Orchelimum erythrocephalum is a North American katydid species in the meadow katydid genus Orchelimum. The common name refers to its distinctive red head coloration. Like other Orchelimum species, it inhabits grasslands and wetland edges where it feeds on both plant material and small insects. The species was described by entomologist William T. Davis in 1905.
Orchelimum superbum
superb meadow katydid
Orchelimum superbum, the superb meadow katydid, is a species of meadow katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is native to North America, with confirmed records from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. As a member of the genus Orchelimum, it shares characteristics with other meadow katydids, including long antennae and association with grassy or marshy habitats. The species was described by Rehn and Hebard in 1915.
Orchelimum vulgare
Common Meadow Katydid
Orchelimum vulgare, the common meadow katydid, is a North American katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It inhabits fields and low meadows across the central and eastern United States and adjacent Canada. Adults are active from midsummer through fall. The species exhibits omnivorous feeding habits, consuming plant material including grass seeds and forbs, as well as opportunistically preying on other insects.
Orthoptera
grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, katydids, bush crickets, wētā
Orthoptera is a diverse order of insects comprising over 20,000 species worldwide, including grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, katydids, and wētā. The order is defined by enlarged hind legs adapted for jumping, stridulatory sound production, and incomplete metamorphosis. Orthopterans are divided into two monophyletic suborders: Caelifera (grasshoppers and locusts) and Ensifera (crickets and katydids). The group originated approximately 300 million years ago, with the divergence between suborders occurring around 256 million years ago.
Pachycorinae
Pachycorinae is a subfamily of Scutelleridae (jewel bugs) comprising 27 genera and approximately 125 species, predominantly distributed in the Neotropical region. The subfamily is distinguished by the presence of stridulatory structures: an abdominal sternal stridulitrum located primarily on sternites V-VI, paired with a tibial plectrum on the hind tibiae. These sound-producing structures are present in immatures, males, and females, and exhibit morphological variation that carries taxonomic significance. Two main stridulitrum patterns occur: smooth carinae (24 genera) and coarse carinae with small teeth (3 genera); tibial plectra show either rounded tubercles or flat tubercles.
Passalidae
Bess Beetles, Bessbugs, Betsy Beetles, Horned Passalus Beetles
Passalidae is a family of approximately 500–1000 species of beetles commonly known as bess beetles or patent-leather beetles. They are predominantly tropical and subtropical, with notable North American species distinguished by large size (20–43 mm), a single cephalic horn, and unusual social behavior among beetles. They are among the most important saproxylic insects for wood decomposition in forest ecosystems.
Pleidae
pygmy backswimmers, pleids
Pleidae, the pygmy backswimmers, is a family of minute aquatic true bugs (Hemiptera: Nepomorpha) containing approximately 52 species in four genera. Adults measure only 2–3.5 mm and inhabit stagnant or slow-moving freshwater with abundant vegetation. They are predatory, feeding on mosquito larvae and other small arthropods, and swim upside-down while carrying an air reserve beneath the body. The family is distributed worldwide except polar regions and remote oceanic islands, with genus Plea in the Old World, Neoplea in the Americas, Paraplea globally in warmer regions, and the recently described Heteroplea from Venezuela.
Polygraphus
four-eyed fir bark beetles, polygraphus bark beetles
Polygraphus is a genus of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in the tribe Polygraphini. Species in this genus are phloephagous, feeding on the inner bark of coniferous trees, particularly fir (Abies) and spruce (Picea). The genus includes both native and invasive species, with Polygraphus proximus being the most economically significant due to its invasive spread across Russia and mass mortality impacts on fir forests. Members exhibit monogynous mating systems and produce species-specific stridulatory signals.
Polyphylla decemlineata
Ten-lined June Beetle, Watermelon Beetle
Polyphylla decemlineata is a large scarab beetle native to western North America, commonly known as the Ten-lined June Beetle or Watermelon Beetle. Adults are notable for their distinctive ten white stripes on dark elytra and greatly enlarged, fan-like antennae in males. The species is strongly attracted to lights and exhibits distinctive pheromone-mediated mating behavior where males actively search for flightless females. Larvae develop underground, feeding on roots of grasses and other plants.
Prophalangopsidae
grigs, primitive katydids
Prophalangopsidae is the sole extant family of the ancient superfamily Hagloidea (Orthoptera). The family comprises a small number of relict species in North America and Asia, alongside numerous extinct genera known from Jurassic and Cretaceous deposits. Extant members are known as "grigs" in North America. The family diverged from its closest living relatives, the katydids (Tettigoniidae), over 230 million years ago during the Permian, making it one of the most phylogenetically isolated orthopteran lineages. Fossil evidence documents substantial diversity during the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, with sparse records thereafter.
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.
Pterophylla camellifolia
common true katydid, northern true katydid, rough-winged katydid
Pterophylla camellifolia is a large, nearly flightless katydid native to eastern North America. Males produce the iconic three-pulsed "ka-ty-did" call that gave katydids their common name. The species inhabits the canopy of deciduous trees and moves primarily by walking, running, or hopping rather than flying. Populations exhibit geographic variation in song structure, with northern populations producing two- to four-pulsed songs, southeastern populations faster multi-pulsed choruses, southwestern populations one- to two-pulsed songs, and a distinctive 8-15 pulse song restricted to central Iowa. Three subspecies are recognized based on morphological and geographic differences.
Reduviidae
Assassin Bugs, Ambush Bugs, Kissing Bugs, Wheel Bugs, Thread-legged Bugs, Bee Assassins, Millipede Assassins, Masked Hunters
Reduviidae is a large cosmopolitan family of true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) comprising approximately 7,000 described species across more than 20 subfamilies. The family is predominantly terrestrial and predatory, with members employing diverse hunting strategies including ambush predation, active pursuit, and specialized prey capture using modified forelegs or sticky secretions. A notable exception is the subfamily Triatominae, whose members are hematophagous ectoparasites of vertebrates and vectors of Chagas disease. Most species possess a distinctive narrow neck, sturdy body, and curved proboscis that fits into a stridulatory groove on the prosternum, producing sound when rubbed against ridges. The family exhibits remarkable morphological diversity, with body sizes ranging from 12 to 36 mm and coloration spanning cryptic browns and blacks to aposematic reds, oranges, and metallic blues.
Rhyssomatus
Rhyssomatus is a genus of true weevils (Curculionidae) containing at least 180 described species. The genus includes significant agricultural pests, particularly of soybean and other leguminous crops. Several species have been intensively studied due to their economic impact, including R. nigerrimus (Mexican soybean weevil), R. subtilis (black soybean weevil in Argentina), and R. lineaticollis (milkweed stem weevil in North America). Species exhibit diverse life histories ranging from monophagous specialists to oligophagous generalists on legumes.
Scudderia septentrionalis
Northern Bush Katydid
Scudderia septentrionalis, the northern bush katydid, is a phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is found in North America. Like other Scudderia species, it is a bush-dwelling katydid with males that produce species-specific songs to attract mates. The species can be difficult to distinguish from congeners without examination of male genitalic structures.
Scutelleridae
Jewel Bugs, Metallic Shield Bugs, Shield-backed Bugs
Scutelleridae is a family of true bugs in the order Hemiptera, commonly known as jewel bugs or shield-backed bugs. Members are distinguished by a greatly enlarged scutellum that forms a continuous shield over the abdomen and wings, often displaying brilliant metallic or iridescent coloration. This family includes approximately 81 genera and over 450 species distributed worldwide, with notable genera including Eurygaster, Scutellera, and Solenosthedium. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly of cereal crops.
Sikaianini
Sikaianini is a tribe of small, delicate planthoppers in the family Derbidae, comprising 6 genera and 34 species as of 2025. Members are among the smallest derbids, with body lengths of 1.5–2.5 mm and forewings 4–6 mm. The tribe is characterized by eyes that extend forward to reach or nearly reach the clypeus, unusual forewing venation with fused subcosta and radius veins, and short hind wings less than half the length of the forewings. Adults have been observed feeding on palm trees, though nymphal biology remains unknown.
Solifugae
solifuges, camel spiders, sun spiders, wind scorpions, solpugids
Solifugae is an order of arachnids comprising over 1,200 described species in approximately 147 genera and 16 families. These animals are neither true spiders nor scorpions, though they share superficial similarities with both. They are characterized by exceptional speed, large powerful chelicerae used for predation and stridulation, and a preference for arid habitats. The order is divided into two suborders: Australosolifugae (predominantly Southern Hemisphere) and Boreosolifugae (predominantly Northern Hemisphere).