# Katydids (*Tettigoniidae*)

Katydids are fascinating insects that look like leaves, making them great at hiding! They produce beautiful sounds at night that can be heard in many gardens.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Katydids can be found in gardens, forests, and grassy areas.
- **Also known as:** Katydid, long-horned grasshopper

![Katydids](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424398/objects/8083.jpg)

## Appearance

The Katydid typically has a vibrant green, leaf-like body, providing excellent camouflage among foliage. It possesses very long, thin antennae, often longer than its body, and powerful jumping hind legs. Its flat, broad wings distinctly mimic leaves, setting it apart visually from crickets.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Insecta
- **Order:** Orthoptera
- **Family:** Tettigoniidae

## Katydids, up close

Katydids, also called bush crickets or long-horned grasshoppers, make up the insect family Tettigoniidae, with more than 8,000 known species, most of them in the tropics. They have thread-like antennae that are often longer than the body, ears on their front legs, and males sing by rubbing their forewings together, mostly at night. Many look remarkably like leaves, and despite the old name they are closer relatives of crickets than of grasshoppers.

Also called: Bush cricket, Long-horned grasshopper, Long-horned meadow grasshopper, Tettigoniid.

Wings that look like leaves, ears on the front legs, songs too high for you to hear and a pink gene. Spin it, tap it, then test yourself.

### Special abilities

- **Leaf Disguise** (6+ separate origins of leaf-like wings): Many katydids are masqueraders: a hungry bird takes them for a leaf, not for food. [3][4][17]
  - Leaf-like wings have evolved at least 6 separate times in different katydid groups.
  - In a field test, birds attacked 39.6% of 1,296 paper “katydids” baited with mealworms. Green, leaf-shaped ones survived best: colour and shape work best together.
  - The best mimics add fake veins, fake brown spots and even fake holes, like a leaf that has been chewed.
  - The trick is ancient: a leaf-mimicking katydid relative is known from the Middle Permian, more than 250 million years ago.
- **Pink Gene** (≥50% pink young from a pink × green pair; still debated): A few katydids are pink instead of green. In the oblong-winged katydid this seems to come down to one dominant gene. [13][18]
  - When pink and green oblong-winged katydids breed, at least half of the young are pink.
  - Pink is still rare in the wild. Scientists think green ones win because their camouflage works much better among leaves.
  - Pink is not always for life: in 2025 a hot-pink Arota festae katydid in Panama faded to pastel pink in 4 days and was fully green 7 days later.
  - Why that katydid changed colour is still unknown.
- **Wing Song** (3 pulses in the “ka-ty-did” song): Males sing by rubbing a toothed file on one forewing over a scraper on the other. [9][1][2][5][15][19]
  - The name katydid copies the loud three-pulse “ka-ty-did” song of the common true katydid, which rasps “Katy did, Katy didn’t” from treetops on summer nights.
  - Each species has its own song, so many katydids can be told apart by ear.
  - In some species females sing too, and in others both sexes make harsh “protest” sounds when grabbed.
  - Some rainforest katydids also court by shaking their bodies so the plant vibrates; females answer with vibrations of their own.
- **Ultrasonic Song** (150 kHz highest-pitched arthropod song measured): Some katydids sing far above human hearing. Supersonus males from Colombia and Ecuador hold the record. [11][20][6][21]
  - Most katydid songs are between about 5 and 30 kHz. People hear up to about 20 kHz.
  - Supersonus males call at 115, 125 and 150 kHz: the highest-pitched calling songs recorded from any arthropod.
  - They are loud too: over 110 dB measured 15 cm away, from forewings smaller than 0.5 mm².
  - High-pitched insect song is old: a Jurassic katydid relative already called above 20 kHz, long before bats existed.
  - Song pitch: Supersonus (highest) 150 kHz; Supersonus (lowest) 115 kHz; Most katydids (upper end) 30 kHz; Copiphora gorgonensis 23 kHz; Top of human hearing 20 kHz; Jurassic Archaboilus 6.4 kHz
- **Bat Radar** (20–30 dB boost from the ear pinnae; still debated): Tiny cups of hard skin around the eardrums act like outer ears tuned to bat calls. [6][11]
  - In Copiphora gorgonensis from Gorgona Island, Colombia, these pinnae boost high ultrasound, above about 60 kHz, by 20 to 30 dB.
  - That matches the calls of the gleaning bats that hunt there. The katydid’s own song is much lower, at 23 kHz.
  - Its ear nerves respond strongly both to its own song and to sounds of about 100 kHz, like a bat call.
  - The study suggests the pinnae evolved mainly to detect bats. It looked at one species, so scientists are still testing the idea.
  - Sounds a Copiphora ear deals with: Eardrum resonance peak ≈111; Bat call ≈100; Its own song 23 kHz; Top of human hearing 20 kHz
- **Leg Cochlea** (<1 mm inner ear length): In 2012 scientists showed that rainforest katydid ears work in three steps, just like ours. [8][7][6]
  - Eardrums collect the sound, a tiny lever plate passes it into fluid (the job of our middle-ear bones), and a fluid-filled strip sorts the pitches, like our cochlea.
  - This inner ear is less than 1 mm long: an uncoiled cochlea with sensory cells lined up from low to high pitch.
  - Katydids and mammals evolved these solutions separately, a striking example of convergent evolution.
  - A 2024 computer model showed that a triangular surface under the hearing organ does the job of our basilar membrane.
- **Feelers Out** (> body antenna length in many species): A katydid’s thread-like antennae usually reach past the tip of its abdomen. [9][1][10][22]
  - They are often longer than the whole body, which is why katydids were called long-horned grasshoppers.
  - Short-horned grasshoppers have antennae less than half their body length, with fewer than 30 segments.
  - Katydids belong with the crickets in the group Ensifera, which hear with ears on the front legs; grasshoppers hear with ears on the abdomen.
- **Grow Up** (≈5 moults from nymph to adult): Katydids grow by moulting: a wingless nymph sheds its skin about 5 times before it has wings. [9][1][23]
  - Most nymphs look like small, wingless adults.
  - Some nymphs look nothing like the adult and mimic ants, spiders, assassin bugs or flowers until they are big enough to be safer.
  - Wings, and the ability to breed, only come with the final moult.
  - In cool climates katydids spend the winter as eggs, and some species can delay hatching for a year or more.

### Body parts

- **Forewings** (6+ times leaf-like wings evolved) [1][2][3][4][5]
  - The green forewings are shaped like leaves, with strong veins that look like the veins of a leaf.
  - In many leaf-mimic species the wings also carry fake brown spots and fake holes, like a leaf that has been nibbled.
  - At rest they fold like a roof over the body.
  - Near the wing bases sits the song kit: a toothed file on one forewing and a scraper on the other.
- **Ears** (2 eardrums on each front leg) [2][6][7][8]
  - A katydid’s ears are on its front legs, just below the knee. From outside each looks like a small oval slit.
  - Each front leg has a pair of eardrums. Sound reaches them from outside and also from inside, through an opening on the thorax and a narrow canal down the leg.
  - Inside is a fluid-filled inner ear less than 1 mm long that sorts high from low pitches, a bit like our cochlea.
- **Antennae** (> body often longer than the whole body) [2][9][1][10]
  - The thread-like antennae usually reach past the tip of the abdomen and can be longer than the whole body.
  - They explain the old name long-horned grasshopper. Short-horned (true) grasshoppers have antennae less than half their body length.
  - Long antennae are one of the quickest ways to tell a katydid from a grasshopper.
- **Head and jaws** [2][1][11][12][9]
  - Most katydids chew plants, especially leaves. The common true katydid eats the leaves of the trees it lives in.
  - A few species hunt insects or scavenge. Supersonus katydids and Europe’s predatory bush-cricket (Saga pedo) are hunters.
  - A large katydid can give a painful nip if it is grabbed, but it seldom breaks the skin.
- **Eyes** [9][1]
  - Many katydids are nocturnal: they are heard most at night in summer and early autumn.
  - By day many sit still on leaves in a resting pose that makes predators take them for a leaf.
  - In autumn, cold nights make common true katydids clumsy and many drop to the ground.
- **Body colour** [13][2]
  - Most katydids are leaf-green, but a few individuals are bright pink, yellow, orange or tan.
  - In the oblong-winged katydid, pink seems to be caused by a dominant gene and green by a recessive one.
  - Green ones still far outnumber pink ones, probably because green camouflage works much better.
- **Hind legs** [13][9][2]
  - The hind legs are the longest. In round-headed katydids such as the oblong-winged katydid they are very long.
  - Sharp spines on the leg segments help to put off predators.
  - The common true katydid mostly walks and rarely flies; gliding is more its style.
- **Ovipositor** [2][1][9]
  - Only females have it: a flat, sword-shaped egg-laying tube at the tail end. It is for laying eggs, not for stinging.
  - The common true katydid pushes her eggs into cracks in tree bark late in the season. They spend the winter there and hatch in spring.
  - Sickle-shaped ovipositors usually lay eggs in plant tissue; long, straight ones lay them in grass stems.
- **The bat on the hunt** (<2 s of calling per day in some rainforest species) [14][15][16]
  - Gleaning bats pick katydids off leaves, often finding them by the sounds they make.
  - In tests, a rainforest gleaning bat could find katydid models that sat still, but it preferred ones that moved.
  - Many rainforest katydids keep their calls very short and rare: less than 2 seconds of sound in a whole day and night.

### Stats

| Stat | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Known species | 8,000+ | most of them in the tropics [9] |
| Species in North America | ≈255 | the Amazon basin alone has more than 2,000 [9] |
| Highest song pitch | 150 kHz | Supersonus katydids, Colombia and Ecuador; 7.5 times higher than the top of human hearing [11] |
| Supersonus loudness | >110 dB | measured 15 cm away [11] |
| Inner ear length | <1 mm | inside a front leg [7] |
| Ear pinna boost | 20–30 dB | for sounds above 60 kHz, in Copiphora gorgonensis [6] |
| Common true katydid length | ≈6.4 cm | up to about 2½ inches, not counting legs, wings or antennae [1] |
| Moults to adult | ≈5 | wings come with the last one [9] |
| Leaf-like wings evolved | 6+ times | in separate katydid groups [3] |
| Calling per day | <2 s | some rainforest katydids, living with bats [16] |

### Photos

- [Common true katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia), the “Katy did” singer of eastern North America.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_true_katydid_(19145531222).jpg) (photo: Melissa McMasters from Memphis, TN, United States, CC BY 2.0)
- [A rare pink katydid at Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pink_katydid_Ontario.jpg) (photo: Flickr user Ric McArthur, CC BY 2.0)
- [Leaf-mimic katydid (Pycnopalpa bicordata), Trinidad.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leaf-mimic_katydid_(Pycnopalpa_bicordata).jpg) (photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [Typophyllum mortuifolium, a katydid that mimics a dead leaf.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Typophyllum_mortuifolium.jpg) (photo: Pavel Kirillov, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [Female great green bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima): note the sword-like ovipositor. Bulgaria.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_Tettigonia_viridissima_in_Botevgrad%2C_Bulgaria_01.jpg) (photo: Dimitǎr Boevski, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [Bush katydid nymph (Scudderia sp.), Washington, DC.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bush_Katydid_Nymph_(15320319140).jpg) (photo: Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA, CC BY 2.0)
- [Another common true katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia).](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:True_Katydid%2C_Pterophylla_camellifolia_-_Flickr_-_GregTheBusker.jpg) (photo: Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0)
- [Rhinoceros katydid (Copiphora rhinoceros), a relative of the ear-study species Copiphora gorgonensis.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhinoceros_katydid_-_Copiphora_rhinoceros.jpg) (photo: Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 4.0)
- [Predatory bush-cricket (Saga pedo), southern France. It is listed as Vulnerable.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saga_pedo_(35676088691).jpg) (photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0)

### Questions

- **What is the difference between a katydid and a grasshopper?** Katydids have very long, thread-like antennae, ears on their front legs, and sing by rubbing their forewings, mostly at night. Grasshoppers have short antennae and ears on the abdomen, and are active by day. Katydids are closer relatives of crickets. [2][10][22][25]
- **Do katydids bite?** They can. A large katydid may give a painful nip or pinch if it is handled, but it seldom breaks the skin, and it has no sting: the female’s “sword” is for laying eggs. Watch them without picking them up. If a nip breaks the skin, wash it and tell an adult. [9][2]
- **Why are some katydids pink?** Pink katydids are rare colour forms of normally green species. In the oblong-winged katydid, pink seems to be caused by a dominant gene. Pink ones are rare, probably because they are easier for predators to spot. One pink Arota festae even turned green in 11 days. [13][18]
- **Why is it called a katydid?** The name copies the loud three-pulse song of the common true katydid of North America, often heard as “Katy did, Katy didn’t” from treetops on summer nights. [9][1]
- **What do katydids eat?** Most katydids eat plants, especially leaves; the common true katydid eats the leaves of the trees it lives in. A few species hunt insects or scavenge, such as Europe’s predatory bush-cricket. [2][1][12]
- **Can people hear katydids?** Many, yes. Most katydid songs are between about 5 and 30 kHz, and people hear up to about 20 kHz, so we hear the lower songs. Some rainforest katydids sing far higher, up to 150 kHz. [11]
- **Can you eat katydids?** Some people do. In Eastern and Central Africa a katydid called nsenene (Ruspolia differens) is one of the most widely eaten insects, mostly collected from the wild in its season. Never eat a wild insect you have found yourself. [32][9]
- **Are katydids endangered?** Most of the more than 8,000 species have never been assessed by the IUCN, and many are common. A few are at risk: Europe’s predatory bush-cricket (Saga pedo) is listed as Vulnerable because its open grassland is disappearing. [27][9][28][12]

### Katydid myths and facts

Some things people say about katydids are true. Some are not. Tap to check.

- "Katydids are just a kind of grasshopper." **Myth!** Despite the old name long-horned grasshopper, katydids are closer to crickets. Both have ears on the front legs and sing with their forewings; grasshoppers hear with ears on the abdomen. [22][1]
- "Katydids hear with ears on their heads." **Myth!** Their ears are on the front legs, just below the knee. Sound also enters through an opening on the thorax and travels down a canal in the leg. [2][6]
- "Pink katydids are a separate species." **Myth!** They are colour forms of ordinary species. In the oblong-winged katydid, pink seems to be caused by a dominant gene. [13]
- "A pink katydid stays pink for life." **Myth!** Not always. In 2025 a hot-pink Arota festae in Panama turned completely green within 11 days. [18]
- "Katydids chew holes in leaves to hide better." **Not proven!** We found no study showing this. The “holes” and brown spots that fool predators are patterns on the katydids’ own wings. [4]
- "All katydids are vegetarians." **Myth!** Most eat leaves, but some hunt other insects, such as Europe’s predatory bush-cricket and the Supersonus katydids of South America. [2][12][11]
- "Insects only began singing in ultrasound to dodge bats." **Not proven!** Bats have shaped many katydid songs, but a Jurassic katydid relative already called above 20 kHz, long before bats appeared. [14][20]
- "A katydid’s sword-like tail is a stinger." **Myth!** It is the female’s ovipositor, used for laying eggs. A big katydid can nip if grabbed, but seldom breaks the skin. [2][9]

### Katydid records

Superlatives backed by measurements.

- Highest-pitched insect song: Supersonus katydids (Colombia, Ecuador), 150 kHz (the highest calling song recorded from any arthropod; people hear only up to about 20 kHz) [11]
- Big sound, tiny wings: Supersonus katydids, >110 dB (measured 15 cm away, made with forewings smaller than 0.5 mm²) [11]
- Among the smallest ears of any animal: Rainforest katydids (Copiphora), <1 mm (inner ear length, yet it works in the same three steps as our hearing) [8][7]
- Oldest leaf disguise: Permotettigonia gallica, Middle Permian (a leaf-mimicking katydid relative more than 250 million years old; before this find, the oldest known insect leaf mimics were from the Mesozoic) [17]

### A katydid’s life

A year in the life of the common true katydid of eastern North America. There is one generation a year.

- **Autumn**: Eggs into bark. The female uses her sword-shaped ovipositor to push eggs into cracks in tree bark. [1]
- **Winter**: Waiting in the egg. The eggs survive the cold. In some bush-crickets eggs wait through an extra year or more before hatching. [1][23]
- **Spring**: Hatching. Tiny wingless nymphs hatch out. [1]
- **Late spring to summer**: Moult after moult. Nymphs shed their skin about 5 times, growing each time. In some species the young mimic ants or spiders. [9][1]
- **Summer**: Wings at last. The final moult gives the adult its leaf-like wings. [1]
- **Late summer nights**: Katy did, Katy didn’t. Males rasp their loud mating calls from high in the trees. [1]
- **First cold nights**: The end of the season. Cool weather makes adults clumsy and many fall to the ground. The species gets through winter as eggs. [1][23]

### Katydid vs grasshopper vs cricket

Three jumping insects that are easy to mix up, side by side.

| | Katydid | Grasshopper | Cricket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group [22] | Ensifera (with crickets) | Caelifera | Ensifera (with katydids) |
| Antennae [2][10][24] | Very long, often longer than the body | Short, under half the body length | Long and slender |
| Ears [2][22][25][24] | On the front legs | On the abdomen | On the front legs |
| How it sings [5][25][10][24] | Rubs its forewings together | Pegs on the hind legs (some species) or wing crackles in flight | Rubs its forewings together |
| Most active [9][25][24] | Mostly at night | By day | Mostly at night |
| Female’s egg-layer [2][25][26] | Flat and sword-shaped | Short | Long and needle-like |
| Eggs laid in [1][9][26] | Bark cracks, plant tissue or grass stems | — | Soil |

“—” means we found no reliable figure to compare.

### Are katydids endangered?

With more than 8,000 species, katydids range from everyday garden singers to rare, protected hunters.

- **IUCN Red List:** Varies by species (Trend unknown). GBIF lists the family as Not Evaluated. Most katydid species have never been assessed, but a few, such as Europe’s predatory bush-cricket, are listed as Vulnerable. [27][9][28]
- Family not assessed as a whole; some species are
- **Threat: Lost open grassland**: For the predatory bush-cricket in Italy, forest spreading over abandoned meadows and more intensive farming are the main threats. [12][29]
- **Threat: Small, cut-off groups** (≈197): One Italian population was estimated at about 197 insects, scattered in small clearings surrounded by woodland. [12]
- **Threat: Easy to miss** (≈21%): Many katydids are hidden and call rarely. In one survey, the chance of spotting a predatory bush-cricket that was really there was only about 21%. [12][16]
- **Helping: Green corridors**: Mapping corridors between grassland patches shows where to reconnect predatory bush-cricket populations. [29]
- **Helping: Listening for insects**: Recording insect songs can track the health of rainforests without catching anything. [30]
- **Helping: Red Lists and the law**: Europe’s grasshoppers, crickets and bush-crickets have their own regional Red List, and the predatory bush-cricket is protected under the EU Habitats Directive. [31][12]
- **Predatory bush-cricket (Saga pedo)** (VU): A big hunting bush-cricket of dry, open grassland. Its females lay eggs without needing males. [28][29][12]

### Katydid signals

- Loud song from the treetops at night: A male advertising to females. Each species has its own song. [1][2]
- Very short, rare calls: Playing it safe: in bat-rich rainforests some species call for less than 2 seconds a day. [16]
- Body shaking that makes the plant vibrate: A quieter way to court, called tremulation. Females answer with vibrations of their own. [15][19]
- Harsh buzzing when grabbed: A protest sound. In some species both males and females make it. [5]
- Wings flicked open to show eyespots or bright hind wings: A startle display to scare off a predator. [9]
- Sitting perfectly still on a leaf by day: Resting in disguise. Moving would make it easier for bats to find. [9][15]

### Forms

- **Leaf-green (common true katydid)**: Bright green, with veined, cupped forewings that wrap the body like a leaf, and very long antennae. (The usual colour: camouflage among leaves) [1][2]
- **Pink (erythristic)**: The same katydid in pink. Pink, yellow, orange and tan forms are known in the oblong-winged katydid. (Rare: green camouflage works better among leaves) [13][18]
- **Female**: Like the male, plus a flat, sword-shaped ovipositor at the tail end. (Lays eggs into bark cracks, plant tissue or grass stems) [2][1][9]
- **Nymph**: Smaller and wingless. In some species nymphs look like ants or spiders instead. (Grows through about 5 moults) [9][1]

### Katydid quiz

1. Where are a katydid’s ears? **On its front legs.** Just below the knee on each front leg. [2]
2. What does the name “katydid” copy? **Its “ka-ty-did” song.** It copies the three-pulse song of the common true katydid. [9]
3. What is the highest katydid song pitch measured? **150 kHz.** Supersonus males call at up to 150 kHz, far above human hearing. [11]
4. Katydids are most closely related to… **Crickets.** Katydids and crickets are both Ensifera, with ears on the front legs. [22]
5. In the oblong-winged katydid, what makes some pink? **A dominant gene.** Pink seems to be a dominant trait and green a recessive one. [13]
6. How many times have leaf-like wings evolved in katydids? **At least 6 times.** They arose independently in at least 6 groups. [3]
7. What is the female’s “sword” at the tail end for? **Laying eggs.** It is an ovipositor, used to lay eggs. [2]
8. In Copiphora gorgonensis, the ear pinnae boost sounds that match… **Bat calls.** They boost sounds above 60 kHz, the range of the gleaning bats that hunt there. [6]
9. How long is a katydid’s inner ear? **Less than 1 mm.** It is less than 1 mm long, like a tiny uncoiled cochlea. [7]
10. About how many times does a nymph moult before it has wings? **About 5 times.** Wings come with the final moult, after about 5. [9]
11. What happened to the hot-pink Arota festae found in Panama? **It turned green in 11 days.** It faded to pastel pink in 4 days and was fully green 7 days later. [18]
12. Where does the common true katydid lay its eggs? **In cracks in tree bark.** The eggs spend the winter in the bark and hatch in spring. [1]

### Sources (checked 2026-10-16)

1. [Missouri Department of Conservation. Common true katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia). Field guide.](https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/common-true-katydid)
2. [Missouri Department of Conservation. Katydids (family Tettigoniidae). Field guide.](https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/katydids)
3. [Mugleston JD, Song H, Whiting MF (2013). A century of paraphyly: a molecular phylogeny of katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) supports multiple origins of leaf-like wings. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69(3):1120–1134.](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2013.07.014)
4. [Wainwright JB, Rolfe CEJ, Ruxton GD, Bailey NW (2025). Functional and evolutionary synergy of trait components can explain the existence of leaf masquerade in katydids. PLOS Biology 23(11):e3003468.](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003468)
5. [Korsunovskaya OS, Zhantiev RD (2022). Acoustic and vibrational signaling in true katydid Nesoecia nigrispina: three means of sound production in one species. PeerJ 10:e13749.](https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13749)
6. [Pulver CA, Celiker E, Woodrow C, Geipel I, Soulsbury CD, Cullen DA, Rogers SM, Veitch D, Montealegre-Z F (2022). Ear pinnae in a neotropical katydid (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) function as ultrasound guides for bat detection. eLife 11:e77628.](https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.77628)
7. [Celiker E, Woodrow C, Guadayol Ò, Davranoglou LR, Schlepütz CM, Mortimer B, Taylor GK, Rogers SM, Montealegre-Z F (2024). Mechanical network equivalence between the katydid and mammalian inner ears. PLOS Computational Biology 20(12):e1012641.](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012641)
8. [Montealegre-Z F, Jonsson T, Robson-Brown KA, Postles M, Robert D (2012). Convergent evolution between insect and mammalian audition. Science 338(6109):968–971.](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1225271)
9. [Wikipedia: Tettigoniidae (Katydid).](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tettigoniidae)
10. [Missouri Department of Conservation. Short-horned grasshoppers. Field guide.](https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/short-horned-grasshoppers)
11. [Sarria-S FA, Morris GK, Windmill JFC, Jackson J, Montealegre-Z F (2014). Shrinking wings for ultrasonic pitch production: hyperintense ultra-short-wavelength calls in a new genus of neotropical katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). PLoS ONE 9(6):e98708.](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0098708)
12. [Repetto E, Milanesi P, De Caria L, Della Rocca F (2024). Ecology and abundance of a relict population of the bush cricket Saga pedo in the Northern Apennines, Italy. Ecology and Evolution 14(5):e11381.](https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11381)
13. [Missouri Department of Conservation. Oblong-winged katydid (Amblycorypha oblongifolia). Field guide.](https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/oblong-winged-katydid)
14. [ter Hofstede H, Voigt-Heucke S, Lang A, Römer H, Page R, Faure P, Dechmann D (2017). Revisiting adaptations of neotropical katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) to gleaning bat predation. Neotropical Biodiversity 3(1):41–49.](https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2016.1272314)
15. [Geipel I, Kernan CE, Litterer AS, Carter GG, Page RA, ter Hofstede HM (2020). Predation risks of signalling and searching: bats prefer moving katydids. Biology Letters 16:20190837.](https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0837)
16. [Symes LB, Martinson SJ, Kernan CE, ter Hofstede HM (2020). Sheep in wolves' clothing: prey rely on proactive defences when predator and non-predator cues are similar. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 287:20201212.](https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.1212)
17. [Garrouste R, Hugel S, Jacquelin L, Rostan P, Steyer JS, Desutter-Grandcolas L, Nel A (2016). Insect mimicry of plants dates back to the Permian. Nature Communications 7:13735.](https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13735)
18. [Wainwright JB, Rowe ZW, Greenwell MP, Cannon PG, Bailey NW, Ruxton GD (2026). Pink Cricket Club: dramatic color change in a Neotropical leaf-masquerading katydid (Arota festae, Griffini, 1896). Ecology 107(3):e70333.](https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70333)
19. [Saha K, Joshi K, Balakrishnan R (2023). Multimodal duetting in katydids under bat predation risk: a winning strategy for both sexes. Biology Letters 19:20230110.](https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2023.0110)
20. [Gu JJ, Montealegre-Z F, Jonsson T, Woodrow C, Celiker E, Islam MN, Linde JB, Sarria-S FA, et al. (2026). Reconstruction of an extinct soundscape reveals ultrasonic communication in the Jurassic. PNAS 123(36):e2615107123.](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2615107123)
21. [Gu JJ, Montealegre-Z F, Robert D, Engel MS, Qiao GX, Ren D (2012). Wing stridulation in a Jurassic katydid (Insecta, Orthoptera) produced low-pitched musical calls to attract females. PNAS 109(10):3868–3873.](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1118372109)
22. [Song H, Béthoux O, Shin S, Donath A, Letsch H, Liu S, McKenna DD, et al. (2020). Phylogenomic analysis sheds light on the evolutionary pathways towards acoustic communication in Orthoptera. Nature Communications 11:4939.](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18739-4)
23. [Ortis G, Mazzon L, Marini L (2023). Effect of summer temperature on prolonged diapause of Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera) under realistic field conditions. Journal of Insect Physiology 146:104499.](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104499)
24. [Wikipedia: Cricket (insect).](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricket_(insect))
25. [Wikipedia: Grasshopper.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper)
26. [Missouri Department of Conservation. Field crickets. Field guide.](https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/field-crickets)
27. [GBIF: Tettigoniidae (family), IUCN Red List category.](https://www.gbif.org/species/3991)
28. [GBIF: Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771), IUCN Red List category.](https://www.gbif.org/species/1683952)
29. [Della Rocca F, Repetto E, De Caria L, Milanesi P (2025). Identifying ecological corridors of the bush cricket Saga pedo in fragmented landscapes. Insects 16(3):279.](https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16030279)
30. [Riede K, Balakrishnan R (2025). Acoustic monitoring for tropical insect conservation. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 380(1928):20240046.](https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2024.0046)
31. [Hochkirch A, Nieto A, García Criado M, et al. (2016). European Red List of Grasshoppers, Crickets and Bush-crickets. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.](https://doi.org/10.2779/60944)
32. [Kababu M, Mweresa C, Nakimbugwe D, Ssepuuya G, et al. (2026). Is the long-horned grasshopper Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) a novel, nutritious, functional, and safe alternative food product? A review. Journal of Economic Entomology 119(2):646–666.](https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toag050)

## Measurements & details

- **Wingspan:** 40-150 mm
- **Size:** 20-70 mm
- **Lifespan:** 30-180 days
- **Leg Count:** 6

## Diet & Feeding

Mostly plant eaters, munching on leaves, flowers, and fruits, but some enjoy insects too!

- **Primary Foods:** leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, small insects
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [European Mantis](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-mantis) (*Mantis religiosa*) — A common prey item for hungry praying mantises.
- **Eats:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Feeds on the leaves of various oak species.
- **Eaten by:** [Swainson's Thrush](https://www.snappit.app/explore/swainsons-thrush) (*Catharus ustulatus*) — Frequently consumed by insectivorous songbirds.

## Traits

- [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
- [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Katydids cannot sting, but a big one can give a painful nip if you pick it up. Watch it without touching it. If a nip breaks the skin, wash it and tell an adult.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Katydids?

Look for six legs, antennae, three body sections and the shape of the wings. Beetles have hardened front wings; flies have just one working pair. Tiny insects may need a close view before their group is clear. Insect Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### What is Katydids's wingspan?

40-150 mm

### How big is Katydids?

20-70 mm

### How long does Katydids live?

30-180 days

### What does Katydids eat?

Mostly plant eaters, munching on leaves, flowers, and fruits, but some enjoy insects too!

### Where is Katydids usually found?

Katydids can be found in gardens, forests, and grassy areas.

### How many legs does Katydids have?

6

## Where to spot

- [West Springfield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/west-springfield-park) — Virginia, US · Park

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Katydids: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/katydids)