Chien C. Lee

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  • Leaf katydid (Cratioma oculatum), female. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mossy masquerade: a young Moss Mimic Katydid (Championica montana) doing what it does best. If you specialize in eating moss it’s a big plus if you look like it as well. In the damp cloud forests of Costa Rica, every surface is covered with dripping wet bryophytes, such as the leaf this katydid is perched on. Although abundant, it’s not the most energy rich food in the world, so these insects conserve their energy by moving slowly while they graze. Faced with a potential threat, they simply lay flat against the mossy substrate and disappear. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Raspy cricket (Echidnogryllacris sanguinolenta), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • This large female katydid (Eumacroxiphus brachyurus) carries a spermatophore pack near the tip of her abdomen from a recent mating. The formidable-appearing ovipositor will allow her to place her eggs deep in the substrate of her choice. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Once their camouflage has failed, many insects resort to an alternative strategy - trying to make themselves appear as large and intimidating as possible. This harmless leaf katydid (Tympanophyllum arcufolium) from the Borneo rainforest is attempting to do just that by standing on its head and spreading its translucent wings. Male Tympanophyllum katydids are renowned for the loud and eerie violin-like calls they make, which adds to the magical abience of the Bornean rainforest at night. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Lacipoda immunda), male. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Despoina spinosa), female. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Spiny helmeted katydid (Sasima sp.) from the rainforest of southern New Guinea. The bristly armaments on this juvenile specimen serve not only to deter predators, but also to disguise the insect in the mossy forest understory. Helmet katydids (Phyllophorinae) comprise some of the world's largest species. Digul River, South Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Katydid (Panoploscelis specularis). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Nearly invisible, this katydid’s (Arnobia sp.) patterned wings and profile match almost seamlessly with the corrugated texture of the leaf on which it perches. There is increasing evidence that some insects actively seek out substrates which maximize their camouflage, but exactly how they achieve this in a bewildering microcosm of varied colors and a range of predators that have better eyesight than they do remains unclear. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Leaf katydid (Tympanophyllum arcufolium), female. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Dragon-headed Katydid (Lesina blanchardi), juvenile. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • With delicate precision, a female leaf katydid (Phyllomimus sp.) uses her blade-like ovipositor to open a slit in the stem of a wild ginger (Etlingera velutina) where she will insert her eggs. The young, like miniature versions of their mother but without wings, will disperse soon after hatching. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo)
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  • Leaf katydid (Eulophophyllum lobulatum), juvenile. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Dragon Head Katydid (Lesina blanchardi), male. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Primarily restricted to New Guinea, helmeted katydids (subfamily Phyllophorinae) are readily distinguished from others by the large shield-like process which extends over the front part of their body and is frequently armed on the sides with sharp spines. Also, in a family of insects which are famous for their ubiquitous calls, these katydids stand apart for the inability to sing. Lacking the typical sound-producing apparati of most katydids, the method by which females and males of these species are able to find each other at night in the tangled rainforest understory remains a mystery. Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • It’s hard at first glance not to be fooled by the appearance of this wasp-mimicking katydid (Aganacris nitida), which is modeled after a stinging thread-waisted wasp (Eremnophila spp.). To enhance the effectiveness of this masquerade, the katydid also copies the wasp’s quick erratic movements, as most other katydids (especially camouflaged ones) move rather slowly. Katydids possess no chemical or otherwise painful defenses, and make for particularly good meals for predators, which is the driving force behind their remarkable disguises. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Leaf katydid (Typophyllum mortuifolium), female. Napo, Ecuador.
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  • Leaf katydid (Sathrophylliopsis longepilosa), female. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A katydid (Promeca sp.) utilizes its excellent camouflage coloration to blend in with the lichens and epiphylls on the surface of a leaf. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Although cryptically disguised as a dead leaf when at rest, the Peacock Katydid (Pterochroza ocellata) packs a big surprise for its secondary defense. When disturbed, it raises its wings to expose strikingly colored eyespots, which can be enough to startle a potential predator away. This large katydid exhibits a great deal of intraspecific variation such that the wing patterns and camouflage of no two individuals are ever the same, and entomologists at one time had described over a dozen species that are now attributed to P. ocellata. These variations in coloration help to prevent any predator from learning a search pattern to recognize this species and its defense. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Translucent katydid (Lacipoda immunda), male concealing itself on the undersurface of a leaf. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Spiny katydid (Panacanthus varius), female. Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • Katydid (Tympanophyllum atroterminatum), male concealing itself by laying flat on the underside of a leaf of its food plant (Ficus lepicarpa) during the day. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Under the cover of darkness, a female katydid (Tympanophyllum arcufolium) uses her stout ovipositor to deposit eggs under tree bark where they will be concealed from predators. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Lacipoda immunda), female. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Despoina spinosa, male, on leaves of Ficus sp. This katydid (family Tettigoniidae) sleeps by day on the undersurface of a large fig leaf, using its perfectly camouflaged semi-translucent wings to conceal itself from predators. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A moss-mimicking katydid from the rainforest of central Africa. Kibale National Park, Kabarole, Uganda.
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  • Katydid (Eurymetopa obesa). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • A giant leaf katydid (Pseudophyllus hercules), one of the world's largest, rests in the rainforest understory. Active only at night, they use their superb camouflage to remain undetected by predators during the day. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Promeca sp.), female. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Scambophyllum sp.), juvenile female. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Incredible camouflage of a neotropical epiphyll-mimicking katydid (Clepsydronotus deciduus). Ephiphylls are tiny plants and lichens that grow on the surfaces of leaves in tropical rainforests, usually being detrimental to their host because they block light to the leaves. Having selected such an epiphyll-ridden leaf, the katydid is able to blend with the mottled colors and rough texture to conceal itself despite being completely exposed on the upper surface. Notice also how the katydid has carefully folded its long threadlike antennae under itself – if they were to stick out then the insect could be much more easily discovered by sharp-eyed birds. Choco, Colombia.
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  • With its fearsome appearance, the Spiny Devil (Panacanthus cuspidatus) surely ranks as one of the most impressive of all katydids. Endemic to the upper Amazon Basin, this large insect uses its prickly front legs in self-defense and also to capture prey – it feeds both on vegetation and other insects. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Bark katydid (Olcinia dentata), male. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • With jaws looking like they could separate your finger from your hand, this is the imposing face of a Madagascan king cricket (Spizaphilus sp.). Only the males possess these enormous mandibles, which are presumably used primarily for jousting when competing for mates, rather than self-defense. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Leaf-mimic katydid (Typophyllum sp.), male. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • In possession of one of the most painful stings in the insect world, tarantula wasps (Pepsis spp.) are avoided by just about every animal in the forest. This makes them a great thing to be mistaken for, especially if you happen to be an otherwise defenseless katydid such as this (Aganacris velutina). The katydid not only mimics the wasp’s distinctive coloration of a shiny black body with bright orange wings and antennae, but also its quick and jerky movements, making it appear decidedly ‘un-katydidlike’. This is particularly amazing considering katydids are family of insects normally renowned for their remarkable camouflage colorations. Canandé Reserve, Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Although cryptically disguised as a dead leaf when at rest, the Peacock Katydid (Pterochroza ocellata) packs a big surprise for its secondary defense. When disturbed, it raises its wings to expose strikingly colored eyespots, which can be enough to startle a potential predator away. This large katydid exhibits a great deal of intraspecific variation such that the wings patterns and camouflage of no two individuals are ever the same, and entomologists at one time had described over a dozen species that are now attributed to P. ocellata. These variations in coloration help to prevent any predator from learning a search pattern to recognize this species and its defense. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Katydid (Scambophyllum albomarginatum), female raising wings in a defensive display. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Raising its wings in an aggressive and intimidating display, this large raspy cricket (Capnogryllacris borneoensis) is merely bluffing - it has no venomous sting or chemical defense. Distinguished in their own family (Gryllacrididae), raspy crickets are strictly nocturnal; by day they hide in leaf shelters which are constructed with the aid of silk threads secreted from their mouthparts. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • An elegantly camouflaged katydid from the rainforests of Borneo: Despoina spinosa. This species feeds primarily on the foliage of figs (Ficus spp.) and can somehow get past the toxic white latex that protects these leaves from most other insects. Some 'sylvan katydids' (Pseudophyllinae) such as this are able to rotate and flatten their wings, enabling them to conceal their profile against the surface of a leaf when at rest. Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Chondroderella borneensis), male. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • This unusual male katydid (Tympanophyllum atroterminatum) conceals itself by flattening its wings against the surface of a leaf. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Giant helmeted katydid (Siliquofera grandis), one of the world's largest katydids. Highland Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • “Parasitoids” are defined as different from “parasites” in that they ultimately kill their host, and among the most nefarious of these are those that are able to manipulate the behavior of their host, keeping them alive only until they no longer need them. This unfortunate katydid is in the process of having a horsehair worm (Nematomorpha) vacate its body. Although the katydid is still alive, the worm has slowly devoured most of its internal organs while growing inside to many times the length of its host’s body. Even when fully developed, the worm keeps from killing the insect because it uses it for transport – somehow compelling the katydid to seek out a source of water where the worm can finally complete its life cycle. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • A female katydid (Diophanes salvifolius) deposits her eggs inside the soft rotting wood of a tree stump to hide them from predators. Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Ecuador.
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  • While the majority of katydids masquerade as leaves, this species (Anaphidna sp.) takes on a different strategy: it rests with its wings raised in the air to mimic a lichen-covered twig. The long filamentous antennae of many insects, which can sometimes betray their camouflage to a predator and are thus often kept tucked away for concealment, are in this species deceptively disguised with bends and kinks. Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Katydid (Hapalophyllum vrazi), female. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Spider katydid (Paraphisis sp.), female with spermatophore. Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Katydid (Pycnopalpa bicordata), female. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Monsters do exist - at least in the Borneo rainforest. Another of the island's amazing katydids, this is the Malaysian Giant Katydid (Arachnacris tenuipes), one of the world's largest insects (measuring 15cm in length without the wings open). Despite their alarming size they are rather gentle herbivores, that is unless you make the mistake of trying to grab one with your bare hands. Kicking with their powerful spiny hind legs they can inflict some serious pain, but at least they usually warn predators first by emitting very loud raspy clicks with their wings. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Aspidonotus spinosus), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Leaf-legged Katydid (Eulophophyllum lobulatum), female. Mount Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • In the Borneo rainforest, leaves are not always what they seem. Here, a beam of sunlight filtering down from the canopy illuminates an extraordinary insect. Officially described and named just last year, this leaf katydid (Eulophophyllum lobulatum) is one of two species in its genus on mainland Borneo that share the unusual wings and leaf-like legs, rendering it a marvel of animal crypsis. Although this male specimen is lime-green, females bear a striking pinkish coloration. Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Under the protective concealment of night, this raspy cricket (family Gryllacrididae) sheds its final skin, slowly and delicately pulling its long antennae from their old sheath. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Rufous Mouse Lemur (Microcebus rufus), feeding on katydid. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • In the Borneo rainforest, a leaf isn't always what it seems. Many tropical trees and shrubs have pale or reddish young leaves as part of a strategy to deter herbivory: the absence of green chlorophyll reduces their nutritive value. Here, an orange morph leaf-legged katydid (Eulophophyllum lobulatum) mimics this exact foliage type. This insect  has been found to have a variety of colorations ranging from green to yellow and red, an adaptation that probably makes it more difficult for their predators to learn a fixed search image for any particular color. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Katydid (Aspidonotus spinosus), male. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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