CLOSED: Odd cricket/walking stick like insect

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
Weyard HAROLD, KY Oct 18, 2011

I found this insect on my porch this morning and was wondering if someone could identify it. I am pretty knowledgeable of the insects in my area, but I have never saw anything that looked like this.

Here are a few more pictures of it. I couldn't get much closer without spooking it, so the pictures are are taken from about 1 ft away.

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/5814/hni0019u.jpg
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/3598/hni0015j.jpg
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/500/hni0016d.jpg
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/6878/hni0017y.jpg
http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/4760/hni0018.jpg
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/8794/hni0021d.jpg
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/4819/hni0020.jpg

At first I thought it might have been a walking stick/leaf insect nymph, but after looking at some pictures online, it doesn't really seem to look like any of those.

It is about an inch long.

It's head looks really similarly to a roach-type head. The antennae sprout from the back of the head. One is laying across it's back, while the other is pointed out over it's head. It is constantly drumming this antenna in place.

I can't tell if those are large wings on it's back, or if it's abdomen is just smooth like that. There doesn't appear to be any crease where the wings would overlap. But there is a black spike sticking out under the body, possibly an ovipositor or something.

It's rear legs aren't formed for jumping, so I don't think it is related to crickets/grasshoppers and the like. They look more like the legs of Mantids.

Thanks for any replies.



This message was edited Oct 18, 2011 5:09 PM

Thumbnail by Weyard
Post #8854303
Quote
kwanjin (Zone 7a) Oct 18, 2011

This is a new one for me, too, so I'm hoping someone can ID it for you. I'd like to know for future reference..

Post #8854379
Quote
Flapdoodle Minot, ND Oct 18, 2011

It is a tree cricket - http://www.flickr.com/photos/truan/4983026335/
Several species are native to Kentucky.

Post #8854563
Quote
Weyard HAROLD, KY Oct 18, 2011

Found it.

It's a two-spotted Tree Cricket, Neoxabea bipunctata.

The wing case from my specimen doesn't have that flesh-like texture, but this has to be it.

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/walker/buzz/601pm4.jpg

http://bugguide.net/images/raw/VRLQ1RZQYR0QJRKQJRP0JRU0Q0U0R07QK0KQH060S00QJR9000E0K020S0P0DRMQVRYKYQM0TQ.jpg

http://freepages.misc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~larsonmorgan/cricket%20-%20Two-spotted%20Tree%20Cricket%20(Neoxabea%20bipunctata)%20%5BMO%2007%5D.jpg

EDIT:

This variety is closer to my specimen.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/wp-content/uploads//2009/08/two_spotted_tree_cricket-300x267.jpg

Other people have reported seeing them in Ohio, so I suppose they should be common around here too. Guess I'll just leave it alone then.

I was hoping it was something from elsewhere, so I could look into reporting it. I tend to find foreign insects all the time, but never manage to capture them. For example, Red Widow Spiders (only found in the Florida Keys), show up here several times a year.

Thanks for the replies.

2nd edit:

Wow, someone beat me to it by a minute or so lol.

This message was edited Oct 18, 2011 8:04 PM

Post #8854569
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More Insect and Spider Identification Threads

Go to all Insect and Spider Identification threads
BACK TO TOP