(Photo and story by Anita Fernandez)

When you think of the word katydid, you probably think of large wings that resemble leaves, but this creature found perched on the edge of a coneflower petal at the McLane Pollinator garden is also a katydid. This individual is a member of Bush Katydids, and it is a nymph. Some insects, like katydids, go through incomplete metamorphosis, meaning that instead of the egg, larval, pupa, and adult stages seen in species like butterflies, there is only an egg, nymph, and adult. The wings on this katydid nymph will appear as it gets into larger stages. The banded appearance of its antennae is also visible to show that this is not an adult. Join us in the gardens and pollinator meadow to see what fun creatures you can find!