Matt K Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Note the forearms on this bug... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpet Roaches Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 That is a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Clausen Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 We do love a predatory katydid! I came across this loosely-related link earlier today. I CAN'T believe that Oregon actually has a cool bug that I've never heard of: Grigs- from Whatsthatbug.com More at Bugguide.net Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crepsis Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 That is truly amazing, I almost can't even visualize a katydid that large! (I'm holding out my hands 7 inches apart and trying to see it, and I'm in shock!) One question though: What is it that allows insects in tropical parts of the world to grow so big? Are there any theories or facts on this? I once read somewhere that insects in the Carboniferous (? I think) period were so gigantic because there was a higher oxygen ratio in the air on the planet back then...could it be that there is a higher oxygen ratio in tropical areas, or do the same large species grow as large in captivity here in the US or wherever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt K Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 That is truly amazing, I almost can't even visualize a katydid that large! (I'm holding out my hands 7 inches apart and trying to see it, and I'm in shock!) One question though: What is it that allows insects in tropical parts of the world to grow so big? Are there any theories or facts on this? I once read somewhere that insects in the Carboniferous (? I think) period were so gigantic because there was a higher oxygen ratio in the air on the planet back then...could it be that there is a higher oxygen ratio in tropical areas, or do the same large species grow as large in captivity here in the US or wherever? *Also consider food availablility and types of food items, water (this photo was just after it rained), temperature consistency, etc. In Costa Rica at high elevations there were a few large bugs, but more diverse smaller insects. At lower elevations (this photo was approx. 41 meters above sea level) there were seemingly less tiny bugs and more giants. Katydids, armored millipedes, grasshoppers, land crabs, roaches, centipedes, spiders, etc. all huge. (6 or 7 inches for anything was not uncommon). I still can't forget the goliath grasshopper..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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