Prairie Meadow Katydid (Orthoptera of Iowa)

Prairie Meadow Katydid

Conocephalus saltans

Identification ⁴

Wings cover only 1/4 of the abdomen. Ovipositor same length as body, as in C. brevipennis. Often brownish, but can be green. Could be confused with C. brevipennis or C. strictus. C. brevipennis has longer wings. C. strictus has a longer ovipositor. As with all Conocephalus, pictures of the male cerci can clear up any identification questions. The inner tooth on the cerci in C. saltans is very long and narrow, looking like a very sharp thorn. C. brevipennis and C. strictus are noticeably different. This species one of the smallest Conocephalus while C. strictus is among the largest, so measurements could also help with ID. Body length is 11-15.5 mm and hind femora 11-12 mm, according to Blatchley (1920). You can also check the spines at the end of the hind tibia (the "heel," see diagrams in Vickery and Kevan 1985).

Nymphs (not fully grown) of C. brevipennis or C. strictus will have very short wings, so nymphs are difficult to distinguish.

This species has a rare long-winged form, as do most or all Conocephalus.

Resources ⁴

SINA: https://orthsoc.org/sina/225a.htm

Orthoptera of Michigan: https://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/Ag.%20Ext.%202007-Chelsie/PDF/e2815.pdf

Vickery, V.R. and Kevan, D.K., 1985. The grasshoppers, crickets, and related insects of Canada and adjacent regions. Ulonata: Dermaptera, Cheleutoptera, Notoptera, Dictuoptera, Grylloptera, and Orthoptera. Insects and Arachnids of Canada, Part 14. Agriculture Canada.

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

Statewide, but only 1 observation to date in iNaturalist. This species has a large range across the western U.S. but seems to be more uncommon than other Conocephalus species. BugGuide and SCAN have a few records for Iowa.