Fork-tailed Bush Katydid

This is a fork tailed bush katydid nymph. He's not fully grown, each katydid goes through a series of five molts, while developing into an adult. Each new nymph stage is known as an instar. I think this guy is probably in his third instar, of six. At full grown he'll look a lot like a grasshopper, with longer skinnier legs.

They normally prefer citrus flowers and fruits and have the ability to destroy citrus crops. I do have a grapefruit tree, but this hungry little guy is sitting on an apple leaf. He'll eat holes in the leaves, which could be damaging on such a young tree. Being young, this tree may not fruit this year, but if it did this little monster would be all over it. They attack the fruits while they can still get through the immature fruit skin. The fruit usually survives, but is left scarred.

I actually wouldn't mind him pruning the fruit off this tree this year so it concentrates on growing limbs, not fruit. In general, however, he's not welcome on the Gohn farm. There are organic approved pesticides available for controlling them, but I don't plan on spraying. Hopefully he'll make a nice meal for a bird, bat or toad and not feast on apple leaves all summer long.