Entomologists differ whether to count cockroaches and mantids as "orthoptera"; some say they should have a class of their own. We'll put them here, for now, just because there's room for them.
[NOTE: Clicking on any of these pictures brings you a closer look. Click on the enlargement to come back.]
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angular-winged katydid Microcentrum rhombifolium These large, green katydids are common in gardens and riparian habitats throughout Arizona. They feed on a variety of plants but are seldom, if ever, common enough to be considered pests. They overwinter as large, flat eggs glued in rows to twigs or on the edges of leaves. |
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creosote bush katydid Insara covilleae This insect is found only on creosote bush, where its green and white pattern breaks up its shape and makes it very hard to see. Females conceal their eggs by inserting them between the layers of individual leaves or into seed pods with their blade-like ovipositors. |
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toad lubber Phrynotettix tschivavensis Named for its squat, toad-like appearance this wingless grasshopper spends most of its time sitting on rocks that blend with its own color, which is variable depending on local geology. They feed on a variety of low-growing desert plants and can be found, though not commonly, throughout the state. |
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Jerusalem cricket Stenopelmatus sp. Also known as Niña de la Tierra (Child of the Earth), this nocturnal burrowing cricket feeds upon roots and tubers. It can be commonly seen, dead, in desert streams during the Fall, where it has been drawn to allow the parasitic horsehair worm to complete its life cycle in the water. |
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short-horned stick insect Parabacillus hesperus Walkingsticks are remarkable for their resemblance to twigs or grasses. Even the eggs of these insects resemble seeds. Their habit of moving very slowly and of remaining motionless for long periods of time also makes them difficult to see. Two species occur in the Tucson area and are most commonly seen in September. |
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desert roach Arenivega sp. Desert roaches are common desert scavengers and never become household pests. They live in association with various rodents where they feed on feces and bits of food dropped by the rodents. The male has wings and is frequently attracted to light. Females are flightless and rarely seen. |