ENV: Not-Really-a-Cat-Friday

Imperial Moth, Eacles imperialis

Yep, it's time again for Not-Really-a-Cat-Friday, and my weekly submission to the all-things-critters carnival The Friday Ark at The Modulator. And it's gonna be another frothy, mothy, special critter week.

If all i do is keep a window open i may someday be able to document the entire fauna of the county without leaving the office. This week several cool insects flew in. The highlight was this gorgeous Imperial Moth, Eacles imperialis (it's about the fourth i've had in the county -- i thought one i photographed 21 August 2003 was the southwesternmost record of the bug, but Dr. James Adams let me know he had published a record from Bracketteville about 80 miles further SW).

Then there was this grasshopper and this Katydid, neither of which have i identified as of yet. . .

Update: Potential identities appended:

cf. Obscure Bird Grasshopper, Schistocerca cf. obscura

This critter is in the False Katydid family, Phaneroptinae, and is probably a Greater Anglewing, though i don't have access to a comprehensive key. This ID and the one above are based on Capinera, Scott and Walker (2004) Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets of the United States, and are the first IDs i've attempted to make using this guide (but i have hundreds of photos to go . . .)

cf. Greater Anglewing, Microcentrum cf. rhombifolium