Katydids get their name from the sound they make. Their repetitive clicks and calls sounded like someone saying, "Ka-ty-did", so that phrase became the common name. Both genders are capable of producing the sound. Katydids are related to crickets and grasshoppers, with large back legs for jumping. Unlike grasshoppers, Katydids have extremely long, thin antennae. Unlike crickets, their bodies are more rhomboidal, like a kite with four equal lengths. They have wings and will fly away from danger. Most sightings occur when they land on an object and linger. Some have even gone on car rides, clinging to the hood of the vehicle.
Adults are remarkably well-camouflaged for sitting on trees. Their body resembles a green leaf well, even down to leaf-like veins. Katydids will remain very still when on alert, but will quickly fly away when threatened, scared or disturbed. Nymphs (juveniles) look more like crickets or grasshoppers. They have vivid colors and dark spots or speckles on them. This appearance all changes as they mature.
Katydids lay their eggs on twigs in a single row, one slightly overlapping the egg before it. The eggs are flat, almost like small pumpkin seeds, and they may might not all be the same color.
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* MAP NOTES: The territorial heat map above showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Katydid may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data is useful when attempting to see concentrations of particular species across the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some insects are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America. States/Territories shown above are a general indicator of areas inhabited by the Katydid. Insects generally go where they please, typically driven by diet, environmental changes, and / or mating habits.
Colors: green 
