Katydid

Katydids - IUCN Conservation Status: Varies

The lifespan of a katydid is about a year

This wild desert creature is called a Katydid. These grasshopper looking insects can grow to five inches in length. They are generally green, and have long hind legs and long antennae. Their antennae can actually be longer than their body. Katydids are a challenging insect to find because they have terrific camouflage skills, and they can remain motionless.

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The katydid in this photo is in a sexually immature phase of its life. They are called “nymphs” in this time before adulthood. Interestingly, adulthood is very short for these insects. The lifespan of a katydid is about a year, and adulthood is only fully reached at the end of this period. In this one year of life, the katydid will molt about five times.

Close-up photo of a katydid's eye

Females will lay eggs to ensure future generations. Katydids use a specially adapted body part called an ovipositor, which looks like a stinger. They use this body part to help them plant their eggs into soil as well as plant stems. They do this at the end of summer. Katydid eggs look like small grains of brown rice. When the eggs hatch, the newborn katydids are small and vulnerable to predators. During this time, the katydids use mimicry to avoid being eaten. Some will attempt to look like a spider. Others will try to blend in with local flora.

Carolina Grasshopper

Katydids, similar to crickets, use stridulation to communicate. Stridulation is making sound by rubbing parts of the body together. In this case, the katydids rub their forewings together. What is even more interesting is how katydids hear these sounds. They actually use flat patches on their legs to hear. That’s right, katydids have a special organ called a “tympanum” which allows them to hear. They actually have two, one in each front leg.

So where can I see one of these? I saw this katydid in southwest Texas, at Big Bend National Park. It was October, and I found this katydid during daylight, despite them actually being nocturnal. These types of bugs can be found all over the world, however they tend to like the tropical regions. They say the Amazon rainforest is home to over 2,000 species of katydids. Ironically, Big Bend National Park, where I found this katydid, is more of a desert. Katydids are certainly able to live in these cool dry conditions as well. There are more than 200 species of katydid represented in the United States.

They use stridulation to communicate

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