We sometimes see these insects in the yard in suburban Perth, Western Australia. This was quite a small one, compared to some we've seen. It was about 6cm (two and a quarter inches) long, had very long antennae and boy, did it have attitude! It was very active and continuously turned to face me, putting its front legs up and shaking them, as if challenging me to a fight. I'm not scared of insects but there's no way I'd think about picking this little fellow up.
Here's another very cropped shot
Here's a more side on shot. I've cropped the antennae out to provide detail on the insect, but the antennae were at least twice as long as its body.
Wow. Maybe Kennedy will be along in a while. Looks like one of our grasshoppers.
It looks definitely prehistoric! Or from Mars, lol.
I found a few images but only from the back of some from the Family Tettigoniidae, although I had thought Gryllidae, the long antennae might suggest the first. Scroll down to the Family, then look at Sexava nubila, it is long and the antennae are very long, from what I can see it is a possibilty or close.
http://agspsrv34.agric.wa.gov.au/ento/icdb/imagelist.IDC
Look in the Family Gryllidae on the link above, at Madsumma affinis. It looks very close, except the antennae have been chopped by the looks.
Or maybe not. The length looks to be only about 30mm.
This message was edited Dec 31, 2008 1:29 AM
Thanks Wallaby. I checked them out and no, I don't believe that's my insect. The legs have like fleshy pads as well as short, thick spines. I think I'll just call it the "Attitude bug". I've cropped this one even more. Have a look at the back leg. It has those pads at the end, but there is also a claw or possibly even a double claw. Strange.
Edited to say that I just zoomed right in on the original and it is a double claw. I'll see what else I've got.
This message was edited Dec 31, 2008 9:44 AM
They are amazing aren't they! I did notice the pads, but those pics are from the top and are dead and pickled, often parts shrivel, and they can't be seen anyway. It would be impossible to tell what they look like in the flesh.
I've cropped to show the double claw.
I wish I could find it again to take some more shots. Thanks Wallaby.
This message was edited Dec 31, 2008 9:50 AM
My first impression was that it might be a predaceous katydid, but then the head shape was wrong, the spines on the foretibiae didn’t seem strong enough, and I could not see any evidence of tympanae there either. My best guess is that it could be a bush/wood cricket, a group sometimes removed from the family Gryllidae and placed in the Gryllacrididae - see http://tinyurl.com/6t6bzq and http://tinyurl.com/89aqet
looks like one of the crickets I see around here in the fall.. ours are a little more red tho.. with stripes.. we have about four kinds of crickets here in kansas, usa
Margaret, I have tried to identify your cricket without success. I am sure it is in the family: Gryllacrididae, the Raspy Crickets. The nearest I can get to it is the Forest Raspy Cricket (Apotrechus unicolor): http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/showimage/1858/
but that species is only found in Victoria and remains wingless, whereas yours appears to be winged.
Kennedy
Thanks, Kennedy. I've tried using the Googlemobile to find it amongst West Australian crickets, but have also drawn a blank.
Suunto, I also explored the links you suggested and haven't yet seen anything where I think "oh yeh, that might be it".
Thanks also, Joeswife. This one wasn't striped and nor are the much larger ones we've seen.
Could I have mistaken the actions "c'mon you wanna fight me" with it listening through tympanae on the front legs? I haven't seen it since, but I'm always cautious around the particular grass that it was on.
