Katydid males fill the summer nights with their songs of “Kay Ti Did” as the call out for love. Katydids feed at night and have long antennae to “feel their way” in the dark. Long antennae can detect a potential predator with enough space to allow escape.

By day, katydids are masters of crypsis. The color of the wings is a close match for the green color of the leaves. The patterns on the wings resemble the leaf veins of plants. Katydids even have markings that resemble damage to plants. For an insect that damages the plants it eats, looking like a slightly damaged plant is a good strategy.

Left: Katydid hidden on a plant Right: Close up of Katydid