Page 50 - AG 7-2011 Revised 2016

Katydid eggs on Acacia Broad-winged Katydid

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

1.Antenna- filiform (beadlike) 6.Thorax- yes Katydid 10
2.Eyes- compound 7.Petiole- none
3.Head- with chewing mouth parts 8.Abdomen- yes 16
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- green
5.Wings- yes 10.Other- hind wings are longer

than front wings

Life Cycle Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
In the fall, most females lay eggs in single or double lines on the surface
of twigs and leaves. The eggs hatch in April and May, and mature in 6-
9 weeks, so the adults appear in the middle of summer. There is usually
only one generation per year, and they overwinter both as eggs and adults.

Katydids can be distinguished from grasshoppers in that their antennae are much longer--often
even longer than the whole body. They are usually green, and hard to see when sitting in
plants. Both adults and nymphs usually have a distinct humpbacked appearance. Males are
generally 3/4ths to two inches long in the many varieties, with females slightly larger. Males are
able to make a long series of sounds, and females answer with a single click. The sounds are
produced the same way crickets do--by rubbing veins at the bases of the forewings together.
They are most prominent in the late summer and early fall, and are fairly nocturnal. They spend
most of their lives in trees and shrubs.

Adult katydids will eat leaves, flowers, and even other insects. Nymphs eat both leaves and fruit,
feeding on a small section of the fruit before moving on to another. A few katydids may damage
a large amount of fruit in a short time. Damage to young fruit can cause it to become severely
distorted as it develops. Nymphs and adults will also chew holes in foliage.

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