Page 50 - May/June 2022 Outdoor Oklahoma

Watchable Wildlife
The Fork-Tailed Bush Katydid
By Danae Davenport, Education Intern

THE FORK-TAILED BUSH KATYDID

WATCHABLE WILDLIFE • BY DANAE DAVENPORT, EDUCATION INTERN

The fork-tailed bush katydid (Scudderia fur- rows. The eggs look similar to tiny pumpkin
cata) is a medium-size insect found in northern seeds in both shape and color. The female
Central America, southern Canada, and in all lays one clutch, usually consisting of around 20

parts of the United States and Mexico. eggs, only once in her lifetime, as the lifespan
Fork-tailed bush katydids can be found in of most katydids is less than one year.
nearly any habitat from grasslands to forests. The eggs hatch in spring. The insects then go
Their main source for nutrition comes from through five or six nymphal instars, or periods

grasses, leaves, and some flowers, which allows between molting. In these instars, the nymphs
their habitat range to stretch across many dif- have a similar body shape to the adults, although
ferent biomes. much smaller and with no wings. They are brightly
Six species in the genus Scudderia have colored with light green and red bodies, dark legs,

been identified in North America, with the and slender black-and-white-banded antennae.
fork-tailed bush katydid being the most prev- As the nymphs continue to molt through
alent. All six spe- spring, they grow in size and lose their color
cies share similar variety, becoming a single shade. Adult katy-
Katydids have excellent
characteristics. dids are mostly bright green with a leafy pattern
eyesight and often hide The only way to on their forewings, which helps them blend in

from predators on the differentiate the with vegetation. During late summer into early
underside of leaves before fork-tailed bush fall, the color variety in the adults expands to

they can be seen. katydid from the include dark green, light brown, red-brown, or
others is by the even pink-red. All katydid species have long,
adult male’s dor- thin antennae as adults and nymphs.
sal process, a hornlike feature that protrudes Katydids have excellent eyesight and often

from the top of the abdomen at the rear. The hide from predators on the underside of leaves
dorsal process is pronged, like a fork, which is before they can be seen. They are much easier to
what inspired this katydid’s name. hear than to see, and they are particularly recog-
Adult female fork-tailed bush katydids measure nizable by their chirps. Unlike crickets, both male

2.5 to 3 inches long. The male katydid is often and female adult katydids produce noise. Each
smaller than the female, about 1.5 inches long. species of katydid has some specific identifiable
Female katydids possess a long, thick, hook- sounds, but all six species share a common call
like structure at the rear of their abdomen called that sounds like the insects are saying “katy-did”

the ovipositor. Near the end of summer, the and “katy-didn’t.” Often sung in a chorus, the
female uses the ovipositor to lay her eggs on calls can most often be heard toward dusk into
the underside of leaves in tight, overlapping the twilight hours.

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