The fearsome beast in this jigsaw puzzle is the giant long-legged katydid, known as the largest of all katydids. They are most often found on the mountain slopes of Malaysia where there are large tropical forests. They are also raised in some zoos. The scientific name is Macrolyristes corporalis. They are related to grasshoppers and crickets. Most of these katydids are green, but it is not uncommon to find them in various shades of pink, yellow, gray, or brown.
The males are some of the loudest insects in the world and can make a very irritating sound. Somehow, the females manage to appreciate this serenade, and come to mate. From looking at their very long legs, one would assume that these insects could leap high. However, they really are not able to jump very well, and it is rare for them to fly. They have a camouflage defense system and protect themselves by looking like leaves. Some have holes and spots that match leaf designs found in nature. Mostly, they eat leaves, but some are predators themselves, and eat smaller insects.
Jigsaw puzzle subject image credit: Special thanks to Made Anka Asril for making the photograph used for this jigsaw puzzle available through the Creative Commons Attribution license. Visit Made Anka Asril's Flickr photostream.
See all jigsaw puzzles based on Made Anka Asril's photographs.
Category: Insects
