OrthopteraTettigoniidae – Katydids2 data sources

Common Meadow Katydid

Orchelimum vulgare

This record describes Orchelimum vulgare (species). Recorded family: Tettigoniidae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Common Meadow Katydid - Orchelimum vulgare
Recorded characteristics
Color terms
  • orange eyes
  • red back
  • red eyes
Activity terms
  • flying
Other recorded terms
  • long antennae
  • grasshopper
  • hopping

Terms from the source record, grouped for readability. Broad terms such as size or location are not measurements or a confirmed range.

Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
Suborder
Ensifera
Family
Tettigoniidae (Katydids)
Subfamily
Conocephalinae
Tribe
Conocephalini
Genus
Orchelimum (Greater Meadow Katydids)

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group

Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Orchelimum vulgare. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Orthoptera includes ~28,000 described species of grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Desert locusts can form swarms covering 460 square miles containing up to 80 million individuals per square kilometer.

Ecological role of the group

Grasshoppers and crickets are a primary food source for birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Cricket farming is a growing industry - crickets require 12× less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, using 2,000× less water.

Economic and practical significance of the group

A single large locust swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people. The 2019-2021 East Africa locust crisis affected food security for 42 million people across multiple countries. Global crop losses from locusts can reach billions annually.

Recorded sources for this group: FAO, UN World Food Programme, research publications. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

Explore Orthoptera families and species →

Photos of Common Meadow Katydid (2)

Common Meadow Katydid - photo 1
Common Meadow Katydid - photo 2