Orthoptera of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

View	Tettigoniidae Members:	NC Records
Hubbellia marginifera (Walker, 1869) - Pine Katydid

Taxonomy

Family: Tettigoniidae	Subfamily: Tettigoniinae	Tribe: Tettigoniini
Comments: The sole member of its genus (Cigliano et al. Orthoptera Species File Online, accessed 2022-07-27)
Species Status:

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Capinera et al. (2004)	Online Photographs: BugGuide, Google Images, iNaturalist, GBIF	SINA 311a.htm
Comments: The body is a bright green, with a brown dorsal stripe bordered with white or pale yellow on the pronotum and by a stripe of similar color on the inner margin of the wing. The tegmina are also green, with a median pale line and a white or pale yellow outer edge. The overall pattern of green with long streaks provides camouflage against its normal background of pine needles.
Structural Features: Females have a very long, sword-shaped ovipositor.
Singing Behavior: Songs consist of series of very short notes spaced from 1.5 to 2 seconds apart (SINA, accessed 2022-07-27). The dominant frequency is around 10 kHz which is right at the limits of audibility for many people. Each pulse consists of a one or two closely-spaced vertical spikes, giving it a unmusical "zzt" sound. According to SINA, the song is similar to that of the Carinate Katydid (Amblycorypha carinata), in that it consists of short pairs of clicks with a similar spacing. However, that species has a much lower pitched song that has a more rattly quality. The Eastern Cypress Katydid (Inscudderia walkeri) has another somewhat similar song, but is higher pitched (dominant frequency = 18 kHz) and has a raspier quality (see SINA).
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Distribution in North Carolina


County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Adult Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Strictly associated with pines, particularly Longleaf, Loblolly, and probably Pond Pine in North Carolina.

Diet:

Observation Methods: Usually detected by its song, which is itself can be difficult to hear. Rarely seen at ground level although it can be attracted by bait painted on the tree trunks (Rehn, 1943; Hall, pers. obs.).

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology:

See also Habitat Account for General Pine Forests and Woodlands

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR S3S4

State Protection:

Comments: Probably widepread and common in the eastern part of the state but its exact distribution and abundance need to be determined through systematic song surveys.

Image Gallery for Hubbellia marginifera - Pine Katydid
	Recorded by: David George Durham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall and Jim Petranka Richmond Co. Comment: Singing up in Longleaf Pines adjacent to the pond
	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Tillotson Chatham Co. Comment:

Hubbellia marginifera (Walker, 1869) - Pine Katydid

Image Gallery for Hubbellia marginifera - Pine Katydid