Small dark openings on the front legs just below the “knees” of this little beauty are the “ears” of the katydid.
In the waning days of autumn, I always lament the impending finale of nighttime serenades of katydids and their kin. Like our friend the field cricket, katydids produce sound with their forewings. One wing bears a structure called the scraper that is pulled across a complementary structure on the other forewing called the file. The resultant vibrations produce the self-naming song of the katydid. It is the male katydid that does the singing, all in an attempt to attract and woo a mate. The female katydid hears the song of the male through small openings, ears if you like, on her front legs. The sound enters through slits and is amplified in a hornlike chamber within the leg. A membrane inside acts much like our eardrum and captures the sound. Sensory cells attached to the membrane capture the sound waves and the female katydid’s tiny brain decides if he’s giving her good vibrations or not.
Eggs of katydids are often deposited on small branches of trees and shrubs.
In addition to good vibrations, males of many species of katydids give their mate another type of gift, a nuptial gift, at the time of mating. This gift, called a spermatophylax, is a protein rich packet attached to the sperm capsule (spermatophore) of the lucky katydid guy. Like all little sperm, the ones delivered in the packet fertilize dozens of eggs within the female katydid. As the sperm transfer to the female, she consumes the nutritious nuptial gift. One theory has it that by providing the she-katydid dinner as well as a date, the protein boost enables her to produce more or larger eggs thereby ensuring the success of more of his progeny.
Egg-laying in katydids is a magnificent spectacle. The curved-tailed katydid bears a scimitar-like ovipositor on her rear end. This ovipositor is used to deposit flat, oval eggs in rows on plants often beneath loose bark flaps on tree trunks. The eggs endure the winter when cold temperatures and lack of food make it impossible for nymphs and adults to survive in places like Maryland.
A female katydid pumps eggs into a crevice beneath a bark flap on a tree.
Katydids are also masters of disguise. Their exoskeletons produce shades of green that blend perfectly with vegetation on which they feed and rest. If you look carefully at their wings, you will notice the delicate network of veins closely resembling the veins of a leaf. This deception and their green coloration surely help them avoid detection by birds and other hungry predators that would find them a tasty treat. So in the waning days of autumn, keep an eye out and an ear open for the sights and sounds of these magnificent creatures.
Patterned veins and green coloration help the katydid blend in with vegetation and hide from predators.
References
The delightful reference “The Insects” by P.J. Gillen and P.S. Cranston was used to prepare this episode. To hear some brilliant katydid songs, please visit the following websites: