A Bug's Life on Basil

Jon and I almost got an unintentional increase in protein in tonight's dinner. I was making a simple pesto & linguine for dinner. That meant going out into the backyard to pick some leaves off the basil plant. I was sort of paying attention to the leaves, but mostly I was watching the dog run wild in the yard. I just happened to glance down in time to avoid picking this little creature from our plant and throwing it into the bowl. I'm sure you can see why I didn't notice it.




I wasn't sure what kind of bug this was but Ye Olde Google quickly informed me it's a katydid. All those years I called my sister Katydid as a twist on her given name and I didn't even know what one looked like. Lucky for her (and me), it's a beautiful bug and not the twin of a hissing cockroach or anything.

From what I read, it sounds like katydids are basil hogs. All summer the prettiest basil leaves have had giant holes chewed in them. Now I feel bad for blaming that on the one legged grasshopper who's been hiding in the coleus. Sorry little dude!