I just got back from shooting and couldn’t wait to post a photo of one of the coolest looking insects that I have ever seen. It appears to be be part of the grasshopper family, but its bright colors and blue eyes really made it stand out as I was walking through the marsh at Huntley Meadows Park this morning. I’m sure I’ll be able to identify him eventually, but want to share him now. Sometimes folks need a little extra pick-me-up on Fridays.
UPDATE: I am pretty sure he is a Handsome Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum pulchellum). I found a photo in BugGuide that looks quite a bit like this one.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
He’s so handsome! Love all the circus colors, too! (Nice composition, by the way, with the angled stick). Wish I could have gone with you—work beckons, though and I gotta pay those bills!
Definitely understand (though I thought of calling you at 7:15 when I left the house). I hope my spider webs with dew came out well–that was my objective for the morning.
Nice one Mike. I’ve never seen such a colorful grasshopper.
I usually associate these colors with tropical birds and insects. I was really surprised to see this insect this morning here in Virginia. I was happy to be able to identify him as a Handsome Meadow Katydid.
Wow Mike, this is cool, it won’t be hiding with that coat.
No, he definitely stood out. The colors look almost fake, but they really were that vivid. I think the name “Handsome Meadow Katydid” really fits. I suspect that all the other grasshoppers will now seem drab to me by comparison.
He really is well dressed.
Definitely a flashy dresser–I tend to be a bit more subdued in what I wear.
Psychedellic! He’s like a hippie bug!
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius. He probably has some bell bottoms at home.
if we only amuse eachother…that’s all that counts.
Beautiful photo.
Thanks, Noah. The opportunity just presented itself and I was happy that I was able to take advantage of it.
Really great capture
Thanks. I still find it hard to believe that those colors are real. It was the only one of that type that I saw when I was shooting, so I was happy that I got a decent shot of this cool looking insect.
Quite a find and wonderfully photographed, Mike. It really is cool.
Definitely a cool insect. I could probably search the meadow again and not find another one. I consider myself lucky to have seen him and am happy I was quick on the trigger.
wow, very nice capture!
Thanks, Rick. I am glad you liked it.
It looks like he’s posing for a Peter Max poster. If you remember bellbottoms, you’ll probably remember him, too. Another wonderful offering, Mike.
Oh, yes, I am definitely old enough to remember Peter Max art. I was in high school and college during the late 60’s and the first half of the 70’s, just as his kind of psychedelic art was gaining in popularity and visibility. To this day I enjoy bright colors. Thanks for your support and encouragement, Gary.
[…] This rather handsome critter is actually called a Handsome Meadow Katydid (Orchelimum pulchellum). I put down my camera bag at Huntley Meadows Park and he hopped onto the side and I got this shot! My photo partner, Michael Powell, has some really great shots that he made at Huntley Meadows Park last month here and here. […]
Mike, that hopper obviously was born and bred, if not actually in a rainbow then at least at the foot of a rainbow in or near in proximity to the pot of gold. Nice shot – keep shooting!
P.S. Any friend of Cindy is automatically a friend of mine, as are the friends of my other two daughters. I wish they could say the same about me, but some of my acquaintances may fall short of qualifying.
Mike
Cindy talks about you often (generally in a good way). She has taught me most of what I know about photography and has both encouraged and inspired me as I get more seriously into photography. She warned me that we share a similar sense of humor–you should now consider yourself warned.
. . . neat colors!
Thanks. i saw another one of these Handsome Meadow Katydids this past weekend and the colors never fail to amaze me.
[…] as they age. If you want to see what they look like as adults check out my previous postings called Neon-colored grasshopper; More Handsome Meadow Katydids; and Ol’ Blue Eyes is […]
[…] Neon-colored Grasshopper […]
how big is this one? I am trying to identify a tiny fingertip size grasshopper of 4 striking neon primary colours in distribution as if put together as a lego toy, seen just once decades ago here in southwestern ontario
The body of a handsome meadow katydid is about an inch in length, though they appear sometimes to be longer because of the length of the antenna, which seems to longer than the body at times.
I have to keep searching….the one on my hand was no more than half an inch. thank you
I also looked at the range map of this species and it showed that the northern range of the species in the United States was New Jersey, and you are considerably farther north than that.
yes. generally I thought the vivid colours may signify the specimen came here by mistake, maybe with tropical produce