Meet the Katydid: The Bug That Looks Just Like a Leaf

Meet the Katydid: The Bug That Looks Just Like a Leaf (Image: Canva)

Katydids are leaf-like bugs and they deceive all. Scientists believe they are smart survival players. They belong to the family of Tettigoniidae, although you may know them as the bush crickets or long-horned grasshoppers.

Guess what? In the world, there are more than 8,000 different kinds, which are found both in hot rainforests and ordinary forests. They are too sharpers at concealing themselves against anything which would fatten on them, as they so perfectly match.

Nature's Amazing Art

The most striking feature of katydids is their ability to mimic leaves perfectly. Their wings wrap round the body of the insect, like a roof. They even have lines on them, which imitate the veins of a leaf.

The most striking feature of katydids is their ability to mimic leaves perfectly. (Image: Canva)

This assists them in disappearing among trees, bushes and grass. It is a wonderful method to avoid being hunted down and is incredibly difficult to notice when you are merely passing through.

Various Types, Various Tastes

Not every katydid is a vegetarian. They are in a variety of color such as bright green, browns, yellows and even pink. Others such as the great green bush cricket feed on other bugs such as caterpillars and flies.

Other species, such as Pterophylla camellifolia, primarily eat leaves and flowers. All the varieties make katydids capable of dwelling in and doing plenty in nature.

Making Sounds to Find Love

The way the katydids speak to one another is bizarre. The mating calls of the boy katydids are made by rubbing ones wings together. Others even may mimic other insects, such as girl cicadas, to fool other boy katydids or animals that want to eat them. They play an important role in searching out a mate and defending their territory.

Staying Alive

Although they are very good hiding, they are consumed by birds, bats, frogs and other insects. They are cunning, swift and manipulate sound to their benefit. They are really an excellent illustration of how animals evolve with age not to die. Their combination of stealth, agility, and sound-based strategies has allowed them to thrive for millions of years.