Katydids at Night...

At night, when the moon is high and the summer breeze sweeps the land, one might hear a familiar sound. Sometimes it's loud and annoying, but mostly it's just another background noise adding to the atmosphere and excitement of being outdoors.

I took these pictures of two different Katydids singing their mating song. Well, singing isn't accurate. It's more like they are vibrating. These are located on the hind angles of the front wings. If you look carefully, you'll see the opening in the back of the first Katydid which allows the sound to focus in a straight line. While you're able to hear it in any direction, the sound is much more precise if you are just above it or just to the side. Oh, and as local lore has it, these little guys (and they are guys since only the males call out for their mates) are making sounds like Kat-ee-did. Thus, they are called Katydids.

They are also known as True Katydids.

Scientific name:
Pterophylla camellifolia

For something new, I decided to record the song they are producing and upload it to the Internet. This is an intermittent song, varying little in pitch or tempo. This was produced by the second Katydid pictured.
Katydid Sounding Out

I'm using a new file hosting site, and I've yet to test it thoroughly. (The last site I used just closed.) So, if you have problems downloading this .mp3 file, please let me know. I believe you have to set up a free account to download it, but I haven't seen anything bad yet. Any feedback would help. Thank you!

Red or Purple Deadnettle

Whichever name you choose to give this little plant, it's probably appropriate. This is a naturalized plant to Missouri. It is common throughout Europe and Asia, but it has made itself home here in the United States. Some people see this plant as an invasive species, because it will take over cultivated land quickly. Mostly it's seen just on the fringe edges of yards and fields where it isn't disturbed regularly.

Scientific name:
Lamium purpureum

P.S.
Thanks for the big welcome back, everybody! I'll try to keep up the pace as the semester progresses, but it all depends on what I have to do.

Black Swallowtail Caterpillar

Just minding its own business is this Black Swallowtail Caterpillar. This is the second stage of its development. He is resting in the sun waiting to turn into a beautiful butterfly after some time in his catalyst.

This butterfly is also the state butterfly of Oklahoma, and there are several related and similar species roaming the Ozarks and Missouri in general.

Scientific name:
Papilio polyxenes

Rose Pink

Light, airy, and pretty, the Rose Pink is common across the United States, and lives in wooded areas and alongside fields.

You might pass this by without a second thought. However, if you look at it closely, it is a complex flower in and of itself. It is thin, but it supports itself well, and the flowers are striking among the green.

Scientific name:
Sabatia angularis