The body length of the handsome meadow katydid is 18 to 23 millimetres (0.71 to 0.91 in). This katydid is distinguished from Orchelimum nigripes, its western relative, by the shape of the caudal portion of its lateral pronotum, which is arcuate inferior to the humeral sinus in O. pulchellum, while the same portion is sinuate or sub-sinuate in O. nigripes.: 24–25, 27 The medial tooth on each of the paired male cerci in O. pulchellum is positioned at a less acute angle to the sinuate sinus of the cercus in O. pulchellum when compared to that of O. nigripes.: 24–25 In females, the ovipositor is long and sickle shaped.: 27 The tibiae are brown in O. pulchellum, while they are typically black in O. nigripes.: 24–25, 27 O. pulchellum typically has no spines on the inner carinae of the hind femora,: 54 which distinguishes it from another relative, O. carinatum. It is distinguished from its Texas relative, O. bullatum, by virtue of its narrower fastigium and by having spines on the outer ventral carinae of the hind femora,: 24–25, 27 generally numbering at least six total when both sides are counted. O. pulchellum commonly has blue compound eyes, a trait it shares with O. erythrocephalum, on its white or yellow face. At rest, its folded wings appear to have a turquoise stripe, while the body is green with reddish marks around the head.
This katydid is found in moist forests and in wetlands. It consumes pollen from flowering plants and foliage. In Alabama, it is active from mid-July until mid-November.
"Orchelimum pulchellum Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=102237
"Orchelimum pulchellum". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24. https://www.gbif.org/species/1693707
Cotinis (16 January 2012). "Orchelimum pulchellum species information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/9493
Otte, Daniel; Cigliano, Maria Marta; Braun, Holger; Eades, David C. (2019). "species Orchelimum pulchellum Davis, 1909". Orthoptera species file online, Version 5.0. Retrieved 2019-07-02. http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1133691
Dakin, Jr., Matt E.; Hays, Kirby L. (June 1970). "A Synopsis of Orthoptera (Sensu Lato) of Alabama". Auburn, Alabama: Agricultural Experiment Center, Auburn University. p. 75. Bulletin 404. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/2343
Rehn, James A. G.; Hebard, Morgan (March 1915). "A Synopsis of the Species of the Genus Orchelimum". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 41 (1): 11–87. Retrieved 23 September 2023. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla5077659_4251_001
The presence of sinuate sinuses on the dorsal portion of male cerci among the Orchelimum is a defining characteristic of the nigripes group: O. pulchellum, O. nigripes, O. bullatum and O. carinatum[7]
Rehn, James A. G.; Hebard, Morgan (March 1915). "A Synopsis of the Species of the Genus Orchelimum". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 41 (1): 11–87. Retrieved 23 September 2023. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla5077659_4251_001
"Handsome Meadow Katydid". Singing Insects of North America (SINA). Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://orthsoc.org/sina/251a.htm
Rehn, James A. G.; Hebard, Morgan (March 1915). "A Synopsis of the Species of the Genus Orchelimum". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 41 (1): 11–87. Retrieved 23 September 2023. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla5077659_4251_001
Rehn, James A. G.; Hebard, Morgan (March 1915). "A Synopsis of the Species of the Genus Orchelimum". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 41 (1): 11–87. Retrieved 23 September 2023. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla5077659_4251_001
Rehn, James A. G.; Hebard, Morgan (March 1915). "A Synopsis of the Species of the Genus Orchelimum". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 41 (1): 11–87. Retrieved 23 September 2023. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla5077659_4251_001
Walker, Thomas J. (1971). "Orchelimum carinatum, a New Meadow Katydid from the Southeastern United States (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)". The Florida Entomologist. 54 (4): 277–281. doi:10.2307/3493586. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Rehn, James A. G.; Hebard, Morgan (March 1915). "A Synopsis of the Species of the Genus Orchelimum". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 41 (1): 11–87. Retrieved 23 September 2023. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/chla5077659_4251_001
Walker, Thomas J. (1971). "Orchelimum carinatum, a New Meadow Katydid from the Southeastern United States (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)". The Florida Entomologist. 54 (4): 277–281. doi:10.2307/3493586. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Cotinis (16 January 2012). "Orchelimum pulchellum species information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/9493
Cotinis; Phillip Harpootlian (18 November 2013). "Species Orchelimum erythrocephalum - Red-Headed Meadow Katydid". BugGuide. Retrieved 29 October 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/7597
Cotinis (16 January 2012). "Orchelimum pulchellum species information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/9493
Dakin, Jr., Matt E.; Hays, Kirby L. (June 1970). "A Synopsis of Orthoptera (Sensu Lato) of Alabama". Auburn, Alabama: Agricultural Experiment Center, Auburn University. p. 75. Bulletin 404. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/2343
Cotinis (16 January 2012). "Orchelimum pulchellum species information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/9493
Dakin, Jr., Matt E.; Hays, Kirby L. (June 1970). "A Synopsis of Orthoptera (Sensu Lato) of Alabama". Auburn, Alabama: Agricultural Experiment Center, Auburn University. p. 75. Bulletin 404. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/2343
Shapiro, Leo H. (1998). "Hybridization and Geographic Variation in Two Meadow Katydid Contact Zones" (PDF). Evolution. 52 (3): 784–796. Retrieved 27 February 2024 – via The Orthopterists' Society. https://orthsoc.org/sina/s220ls98.pdf
"Handsome Meadow Katydid". Singing Insects of North America (SINA). Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://orthsoc.org/sina/251a.htm
Shapiro, Leo H. (1998). "Hybridization and Geographic Variation in Two Meadow Katydid Contact Zones" (PDF). Evolution. 52 (3): 784–796. Retrieved 27 February 2024 – via The Orthopterists' Society. https://orthsoc.org/sina/s220ls98.pdf
Cotinis (16 January 2012). "Orchelimum pulchellum species information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/9493
Shapiro, Leo H. (1998). "Hybridization and Geographic Variation in Two Meadow Katydid Contact Zones" (PDF). Evolution. 52 (3): 784–796. Retrieved 27 February 2024 – via The Orthopterists' Society. https://orthsoc.org/sina/s220ls98.pdf
Dakin, Jr., Matt E.; Hays, Kirby L. (June 1970). "A Synopsis of Orthoptera (Sensu Lato) of Alabama". Auburn, Alabama: Agricultural Experiment Center, Auburn University. p. 75. Bulletin 404. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/2343
Cotinis (31 August 2010). "Genus Orchelimum". BugGuide. Retrieved 8 August 2022. https://bugguide.net/node/view/7070
Dakin, Jr., Matt E.; Hays, Kirby L. (June 1970). "A Synopsis of Orthoptera (Sensu Lato) of Alabama". Auburn, Alabama: Agricultural Experiment Center, Auburn University. p. 75. Bulletin 404. Retrieved 7 August 2022. https://aurora.auburn.edu/handle/11200/2343
Shapiro, Leo H. (1998). "Hybridization and Geographic Variation in Two Meadow Katydid Contact Zones" (PDF). Evolution. 52 (3): 784–796. Retrieved 27 February 2024 – via The Orthopterists' Society. https://orthsoc.org/sina/s220ls98.pdf