Categories

Katydids

Tags

Unidentified

insect identification help!
Dear Insect Expert-
A friend and I were hiking in northern Italy – Lake Como area. We came across the attached insect and we have a bit of a bet going on what it is. Could you help us to identify it. As well, could you let us know if it would sting a human? Thanks, in advance, for any help in identifying this. Regards,
Angela & Nancy

Hi Angela and Nancy,
This is a Shield-Backed Katydid in the Orthoptera Subfamily Tettigoniinae. It is a female as evidenced by the ovipositor that you mistook for a stinger. She will not sting or otherwise harm a human physically, though some species get plentiful enough to do crop damage, like the Mormon Cricket from Utah and vicinity. BugGuide says a common name in Europe is Wart Biter.

Update: (07/03/2008) Katydid IDs from Piotr Naskrecki
Hi,
I have been looking at the page with unidentified katydids (Katydids 2), and thought I could help with some ID’s. From top to bottom they are: Italian saddle-backed katydid – Ephippigera sp.

Related Posts

1. Shield-Backed Katydid (November 30, 2008)
2. Pink Katydid Nymph (May 5, 2008)
3. Unknown Katydid from Costa Rica is Pitbull Katydid (March 22, 2008)
4. Female Wart-Biter (January 8, 2007)
5. Pink Katydid (September 14, 2006)