Songs of Insects

Common Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum vulgare)

Song of a Common Meadow Katydid (scroll down for explanation and additional recordings!).

Not nearly as common as its name implies, the Common Meadow Katydid can sometimes be found in tall grassy or weedy patches along roads or along the edges of open fields. This robust species is easily caught because they typically do not hide when approached. Very similar in appearance to its close relative, the Gladiator Meadow Katydid.

Common Meadow Katydids are active day and night and are fond of consuming grass seeds. Look for them in the seed heads of pasture grasses, overgrown road-sides borders, and abandoned pastures. They are most easily observed and captured at night.
 

Common Meadow Katydids range from southern Maine south to central Georgia and west to western Oklahoma and north through central North Dakota.

Song: A long series of ticks followed by a dry buzz that starts softly and quickly becomes louder. Many people think that this species sounds like a lawn sprinkler ractcheting back and forth. The frequency range is 10–20 kHz. Sings both day and night.
 
Sonogram of a Common Meadow Katydid. © Wil Hershberger.