By Jewell Lee Cozort, Park Biologist
Summer insects generate a familiar chorus heard while walking trails or spending an evening on the front porch. Katydids are one and are named after the song of the common katydid found in Eastern North America. Some people hear katydids sing “Katydid –she did, Katydid – she did” repetitively. Others claim it’s “katydid – katy didn’t”. Cicadas are another insect that make loud calls in summer, but their call is more of a long screeching alarm like sound.
The katydids pictured and most likely to be seen at Phil Hardberger Park are called the Central Texas leaf katydid (Paracyrtophyllus robustus). The males make a repetitive sound to attract females by rubbing their wings together in an action called stridulation. Females are usually silent and listen for males with a tympanum (eardrum like structure) on their front legs! What??!! The reason ears are on their legs rather than their heads is to have a larger distance between the ears which enables them to detect the direction of sound waves. The ability to detect direction helps them move toward a potential mate and away from predators. Males also have tympanums on their legs.
A rare mutation causes a hot-pink coloration in Katydids.
Central Texas leaf katydids are arboreal, meaning they spend most if not all of their lives in trees. They eat leaves of trees like live oak and have been known to completely defoliate entire trees in outbreak years. Katydids are typically green to match the color of leaves, but occasionally a rare mutation called erythrism will lead to hot pink katydids, so keep your eyes and ears open!