Posts Tagged: katydid nymph

The Katydid Nymph Did

The katydid nymph did. It did appear in May. The UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) tells us that katydid nymphs appear in our gardens in April or May. This little nymph was right on time, barely, as it surfaced in our...

A katydid nymph, its long threadlike antennae upright, descends a stem in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A katydid nymph, its long threadlike antennae upright, descends a stem in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A katydid nymph, its long threadlike antennae upright, descends a stem in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) The katydid nymph lowers its antennae and proceeds along the stem. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A katydid nymph, its long threadlike antennae upright, descends a stem in a Vacaville garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The katydid nymph lowers its antennae and proceeds along the stem. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Antennae down, the katydid nymph continues its descent. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Antennae down, the katydid nymph continues its descent. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Katydid: She Did, She Didn't, and Then She Did

In the blink of an eye... There it was, nestled inside a baby blue eyes blossom, Nemophila menziesii, which is a spring-blooming plant native to California, Oregon and Baja California. "It?" A katydid nymph, a wingless critter with long black-and-white...

A katydid nymph nestled in a baby blue eyes blossom, Nemophila menziesii, in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A katydid nymph nestled in a baby blue eyes blossom, Nemophila menziesii, in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

If the grass is greener on the other side, is a baby blues more blue on the other side? A katydid nymph gets ready to move. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

If the grass is greener on the other side, is a baby blues more blue on the other side? A katydid nymph gets ready to move. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A long stretch, and the katydid nymph touches the next blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A long stretch, and the katydid nymph touches the next blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Up and over the baby blue eyes blossom, and the katydid nymph is gone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Up and over the baby blue eyes blossom, and the katydid nymph is gone. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Decisions, Decisions! The Katydid or the Bee?

So here's this crab spider stalking a katydid nymph foraging on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. Dinner awaits! Suddenly a native bee, Melissodes agilis, lands next to the katydid and begins to sip some nectar. Decisions, decisions! Do...

A crab spider is about to nail a katydid nymph when a longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, appears on the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A crab spider is about to nail a katydid nymph when a longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, appears on the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, continues to forage under the watchful eye of the crab spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee, Melissodes agilis, continues to forage under the watchful eye of the crab spider. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee turns aways from the crab spider, still unaware of the danger. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The longhorned bee turns aways from the crab spider, still unaware of the danger. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider hauls the struggling katydid nymph over the side of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The crab spider hauls the struggling katydid nymph over the side of the Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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