Capnobotes fuliginosus

Description

Capnobotes fuliginosus is a species of katydid known as the sooty longwing. It is found in the western United States and Mexico. It is omnivorous and it is the prey of the wasp Palmodes praestans. The sooty longwing was first formally described in 1872 by Cyrus Thomas as Locusta fuliginosus. The species is up to 75 mm (3.0 in) long to its wingtips, brownish gray, has long wings, has a shield back, and its hindwings are darker than its forewings. The katydids show their dark hindwings when they are startled. The species' song is loud, continuous, and shrill.It is an omnivore that is known to feed on the nymphs and adults of the grasshopper Bootettix argentatus on foliage during the summer. The species can be found in central Nevada, Utah, southern California, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado. They are found in the deserts of California. The species was first found at the Dinosaur National Monument in 1952, according to a 1952 study by Entomological News in which three adults were discovered.They are highly active on hot nights.