Thomas Garber took this photo of what appears to be a Broadwinged Katydid (Microcentrum rhombifolium) that he found on the hood of his car when he was parked near Tucker Road in the Tehachapi Valley.
Thomas explained how he happened to take the photo: “I parked my car at the UPS store on Valley Blvd. and when I came out, this insect (or extra terrestrial?) was on the front hood. After checking it out, I backed out of the parking area and proceeded down Valley Blvd. expecting the thing to fly away, but it held on tight. With all the windage of this three-inch critter, I expected him to fly off quickly, but he held onto the waxed hood tightly.
“I proceeded the five or so miles home at speed just to see if he could hang on. To my surprise, he did. I took this picture in my driveway and I’m still not sure how he could stay attached to a waxed hood. If he had sticky feet, he didn’t leave any residue. He must have some strong suction cupped feet and is probably a Chevy fan. Pretty cool camouflage too!”
Katydids, also sometimes called bush crickets, though they are not true crickets, eat leaves that are typically higher up in trees, probably to avoid predators.
The most striking thing about them is their remarkable camouflage, which looks just like a leaf, including the venation (leaf veins) that make them cryptic and very difficult for enemies to spot. This ability to blend in with their leafy surrounding is the Katydid’s best defense against birds and other predators.
Male Katydids make the most frequently heard ticking sounds at night from up in trees in the Tehachapi Mountains.
NATURAL SIGHTINGS is a regular feature of the Tehachapi News edited by Jon Hammond which showcases photos of the natural beauty that enhances the quality of life in Tehachapi. If you have a good quality image of plants, animals, insects, trees, birds, weather phenomena, etc., taken in the Tehachapi area, you may submit it to the Tehachapi News for possible publication. Submissions can be dropped by the News office in the form of a print or CD, or sent by email to: editorial@tehachapinews.com.