T.E.R:R.A.I.N - Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network


Longhorned Grasshopper

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Ensifera
Superfamily: Tettigonioidea
Family: Tettigoniidae
Scientific name: Caedicia simplex, 
Common name:Katydid, Kiki Pounamu

This grasshopper might be a native. It is also found in Australia. It has a length 42 mm including wings.
It is common in New Zealand gardens where it is well camouflaged on shrubs and plants because of its colour and leaf patterns on its wings..  It feeds on foliage. It can jump or fly.  It also makes a feeble chip in the evening. It is named after the call of the American native katydid. "Katy did  Katy didn't"

 

The nymphs' body can be in different colours, either green, greenish-brown or pink. It seems that that body colour adapted to their living environment. 
Below is the green form with  immature wing buds

 

 

 


Previous page: European Earwig
Next page: Green Planthopper