Subject: Bug identification
Geographic location of the bug: Perth, western Australia
Date: 11/05/2017
Time: 12:23 AM EDT
Hi, I am from Guildford in Western Australia. Today we found this insect in our yard and were wondering if you could help identify it.
It is 4cm long and doesn’t seem to jump.
We haven’t seen anything like this around before.
Thanks
How you want your letter signed: Teneale Williams
Dear Teneale,
This is a Longhorned Orthopteran in the suborder Ensifera, and it might be a Shielbacked Katydid, but it is difficult for us to be certain based on this ventral view. Since it is clearly in captivity, are you able to provide a dorsal view?
Thanks for sending another image. We can tell you that based on the curved ovipositor at the tip of the abdomen, that this is a female. The wings might indicate she is immature, but many Katydids are flightless and have only vestigial wings. We will contact Katydid expert Piotr Naskrecki for species identification assistance.