Slender Meadow Katydid
Conocephalus fasciatus
Identification 4
Wings longer than body. Hindwings extend beyond forewings 2-3 mm. Male cerci green (usually orange-brown in C. brevipennis and yellow in Orchelimum species). Female ovipositor nearly straight.
Usually long-winged, petite (Orchelimum are usually robust) meadow katydids will be C. fasciatus, but there are some rare exceptions. Other Conocephalus species like C. brevipennis and C. strictus have rare long-winged (macropterous) forms that look similar to this species. Cerci and ovipositor shape will still be diagnostic, however. Female long-winged C. fasciatus have green ovipositors, while C. brevipennis has an orange-brown ovipositor. Orchelimum typically are larger and more robust than Conocephalus, but the rare Delicate Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum delicatum) can be very difficult to distinguish from C. fasciatus. It has yellow cerci, but the ovipositor is rather similar.
Resources 4
Key to separate Conocephalus and Orchelimum: https://orthsoc.org/sina/s220k.htm
Comparison between long-winged C. brevipennis and C. fasciatus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1718760
Blatchley (1920) has the best detailed descriptions of Conocephalus that I am aware of:
Blatchley, W. S. 1920. Orthoptera of Northeastern America: With Especial Reference to the Faunas of Indiana and Florida. Nature Publishing Company, Indianapolis, IN. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/1700
Occurrence 4
Common statewide. Occurs throughout the Lower 48 states and into southern Canada.
Habitat 4
Can be found in a variety of vegetated habitats, but most often in wetter areas like wetland edges. May come to night lights.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Judy Gallagher
- (c) Lee Elliott, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Lee Elliott
- (c) James Bailey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by James Bailey
- (c) Tyler Grant, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
