A Bug’s Life

Hello friends…I’m so glad it’s Wednesday because I finally get to show you some of the neat insects we’ve been seeing around Riverbend lately!

First up is the Imperial Moth…one of our camp counselors found this guy flying around the property, and we managed to get a nice photo or two of him.  In our area of the country, these adults come out during the summer months to mate, but as adults, they do not eat.  Other moths that we often see around Riverbend include the io moth, luna moth, and polyphemus moth.

Next is the Common True Katydid.  Katydids look a lot like leaves and tend to blend into to their green surroundings.  You may not see them often, but you can tell the common true katydids by the sound they make when they rub their front wings together…click here for a listen!

Another katydid found at Riverbend is the Oblong-winged Katydid, whose color is usually green, but can also be pink and tan (which is rare), and dark tan or orange (which is very rare).  The oblong-winged katydid’s song is quite different from that of the common true.

I’d like to thank Chris, my coworker and resident bug/animal/plant expert, for telling me about the website with the insect songs…you can check out a bunch more insect songs at: http://www.musicofnature.com/songsofinsects/iframes/specieslist.html.

In keeping with the buggy theme today and our summer safety tips for July, I just want to remind you to wear your bug repellent to keep about biting insects and mosquitoes.

That’s all for today…until next time, I’ll see you ‘round the ‘Bend!

Nature Dave