This is a bush katydid nymph. Bush katydids are common in Maine, and when I find one on a plant in my yard, I generally continue to see it on the same plant for a number of days in a row.
Image of the month – July 2026
Tag: bug lives
Image of the month – June 2026
Here’s a crab spider waiting in a red clover flower to ambush prey.
Image of the month – August 2025
Here is a portrait of a katydid that I took at the very end of July. There are about 255 species of katydids in North America. I normally only see them in flight, when I accidentally flush them. I was thrilled to find this one posed nicely, backlit by the morning sun.
Image of the month – July 2025
At first glance this weevil appears to be jumping away from the thistle, but it is actually standing on the pale tips of the flower’s spines.
There are over 60,000 species of weevil in the world. While I was not able to identify the one in the photo because it was in the shade, it is possible that it is Rhinocyllus conicus, a species introduced to North America from Europe in an effort to combat invasive milk thistle. The thistle in the photo is not milk thistle, and the observation of R. conicus attacking other thistles over the years means that their intentional release is now prohibited.
Image of the month – August 2023
A black swallowtail caterpillar sits on some dill. The dill is glistening with raindrops which appear as soft circles in the background. Black swallowtail caterpillars feed on dill and its relatives, including Queen Anne’s Lace, fennel, carrot, and fennel.
Image of the month – July 2023
Here’s a paper wasp working on its nest. Paper wasps make small nests that are not fully closed off, as can be seen here. Some species of paper wasp can recognize other individuals of their species using facial recognition.