The prettiest bug in town: A pink katydid
The prettiest bug in town: A pink katydid
It's bubblegum pink, vanishingly rare and was likely headed for an early demise in a bird's beak.
That is until Kay Hrycko stumbled upon the shockingly pink katydid in the yard of her Springfield Township, Pennsylvania, home on Tuesday.
"We were walking around looking at the logs and happened to see this katydid on one of the rocks," Hrycko said. "It was real obvious. We all said 'Pink!'"
Katydids typically are green to blend in with foliage, but occasionally one will have a mutation that renders it pink. While pleasing to the eye, the color makes it stand out like a daily special on a restaurant menu for predators.
After discovering the colorful critter, Hrycko collected it in a yogurt container and is keeping it safe inside. She said her 13-year-old son, Cody, hopes to take it to school next week for his science class.
The major difference between pink katydids and their more common green counterparts apparently is the lack of dark pigment called melanin, the same pigment that makes a panther black.
The coloration was first noted in scientific literature in 1878. The only known genetic study was published in 1916.
The U.S. name "katydid" comes from the male's loud mating call, produced by rubbing its forewings together — groups of three and four evenly spaced noises that people imitated as "Katy did. Katy didn't. Katy didn't. Katy did."
Pink katydids have been found, albeit rarely, from Pennsylvania to Michigan to Louisiana.
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- Posted on August 27, 2010
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It is not every day you come across a pink bug! I would kind of feel bad for it because of its lack of camouflage. I wonder what happened to the bug, though I am pretty sure it died in the cup it was held in like most bugs would. I never really thought about how animals get their colors, and now I think it is really cool! I am going to keep my eyes open for anything pink.
thats nice i do enjoy rare pink katydids i thought i saw one one time but i was wrong is it true that they have wings or is that just a myth
A cute little pink bug, that has to be the cutest bug i have ever seen. I want the little bug as my pet. I would have a little chamber for it and everything. It would go on my dresser in my room.
It's a beautiful color, I think. But I'm not a big fan of bugs so..... this isn't my favorite article. I think the bug itself is pretty. I wish we had bugs here like that!
I think bugs are disgusting and that's gross that that lady found a pink katydid. She should have just left it there and let the bird eat it. Gross!
I think that little pink bug is the cutest bug EVER.I love pink and everything about pink.I LOVE PINK LITTLE BUGS!!!! I wish i had a little pink bug lol :D
Well now its a pink katydid. Now that is very strange. It looks like a cocroach. They found it on a log just sitting there.
I think it would be cool to see a pink bug. people don't usually see pink bugs around. Usually bugs are brown or black.Some bugs are green but not pink. If I saw a pink bug I would take a picture of it and leave it right where it is. It would be exciting to see a "pink" bug out in the woods. I wonder why they are so rare and not so common.
wow that is pretty cool . why woudle he bring a bug to school it has to stay in the nature were it can find pecae and why do people think that it the peretty bug in the town? if that was me i woudle be happy that people like my color .
Wow, that is pretty cool. It would be amazing to find something out of the ordinary like that. I hope Cody's class liked his 'show and tell'.