Asparagus rubicundus and katydid

Asparagus rubicundus has firm branches to land upon, comfortable as long as the spines are avoided. Good for a rest and scouting about, eating some features of the landing site may happen.

This long-legged, long-anthered grasshopper-like insect’s intentions are not clear on this plant lacking flowers… A. rubicundus only flowers from summer to winter. The September photo was taken at much the wrong time for that. Too green and leggy for using the greyish plant as camouflage, the visitor may not stay long, particularly if the camera won’t leave.

This beastie probably belongs to the Tettigoniidae family, commonly called katydids found mainly in South Africa, Australia, Canada and the United States. Katydids are known for mimicry and being active at night; also for harsh, grating mating calls. This one was quiet, maybe chilling out of season.

Also known as bush crickets, these insects were previously called long-horned grasshoppers. There are more than 6,400 species in Tettigoniidae, this one posing for photos in the Biedouw Valley. Have fun getting better acquainted (Bean and Johns, 2005; Wikipedia).