COMMON GARDEN KATYDID

Scientific name: Caedicia simplex updated - 07/12/20

• Classification

Genus: Caedicia

Species: simplex

Subfamily: Phaneropterinae

Family: Tettigonidae

Super Family: Tettigonioidea

Order: Orthoptera

Class: Insecta

Subphylum: Uniramia

Phylum: Arthopoda

Kingdom: Animalia

• Size Range: 6 cm

Introduction

The Common Garden Katydid is frequently seen in Sydney and most cities in Australia throughout the year. It is also native to New Zealand.

Identification

Although the adults of the Common Garden Katydid are always green, the nymphs take on the colour of whatever they have been eating. Nymphs may be bright pink if they have been feeding on red roses, or yellow if they have been feeding on Cassiaflowers. The colour may remain for several moults.

Habitat

The Common Garden Katydid lives in urban areas, forests and woodlands.

Distribution

The Common Garden Katydid is found throughout Australia.

Feeding and diet

The Common Garden Katydid can be found living in and feeding on a variety of garden shrubs as well as Australian native plants.

Life history cycle

Female Common Garden Katydids deposit their eggs, which resemble black seeds, onto leaves and branches.

The katydid is an insect often confused with the praying mantis, but the Praying Mantis is a carnivore eating mainly insects and other small animals.

A run-in with a praying mantis is a day you won’t soon forget, but it’s not the same thing with a katydid. The two insects definitely look very similar though. The katydid is a species that looks like a cross between a grasshopper and a praying mantis.

It is as friendly as a grasshopper might be. It has a large green head, green legs, and its wings lie flat against its back. The size range of the katydid can vary, and will be largely dependent on the region or habitat it is in.

If the katydid is unable to get plant food, it can remain small and as small as one-quarter of an inch. When well fed, the katydid can reach up to several inches in length. A humid environment is one that this insect prefers.

This is a nocturnal insect so you likely won’t see it too often. The lifespan is longer than a praying mantis, and it will not live longer than one year in most conditions.

Source: Australian Museum and Nature Nibble