Oblong-winged Katydid Vintage Art Tote

The charming katydid artwork on this tote bag was found in the 1890 issue of the Sunday Magazine, in a story about singing insects. 

Amblycorypha oblongifolia is normally a bright green, helping it blend in with foliage. On rare occasions, however, it can be found in shades of pink, yellow, tan, or orange.

In the early 1900s, scientists were divided on the cause of these unusual colors. Some declared it was the result of the changing seasons, the insect’s age, or other environmental factors. In 1916, entomologist Joseph Hancock successfully bred pink katydids in captivity to show that the colors were the result of genetics.

Nearly a hundred years later, researchers at the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans studied these fascinating katydids in a breeding program. They learned that the alleles for green coloration are actually recessive traits, with the “rare” colors actually being dominant - but since pink, yellow, and orange katydids are more likely to be spotted by predators, green remains the “most fit” coloration and the most likely to be found in the wild.

Tote details: 

• 10 oz natural cotton
• Sturdy black poly handles
• Completely made and printed in the USA