Naturedigger - Nature Education, Conservation and Citizen Science
  • About
  • Our apps
    • Monarch SOS
    • Rash Plants
    • Lakes SOS
    • Knotweed!
    • Horseshoe SOS
    • Coastal SOS
  • Nature education
    • Monarchs
    • Rash Plants
    • Horseshoe Crabs
    • Knotweed
  • Blog
  • Support our work
  • Privacy policy

Learn, Participate, Conserve

September's Nature Nugget:

9/1/2017

0 Comments

 

Katy-did...Katy-didn't...
Picture
You can hear the familiar song of the katydid (above) during spring and summer when they are breeding. In all species the front wings have special structures that can be rubbed together to make their unique sounds, which sounds  a lot like "katy-did...katy-didn't!" They hear these sounds with flat patches on their legs (see above) that act as ears. Males may all "sing" together to attract females.

So what happens to these insects during the winter? Katydids typically only live a year. The eggs that are laid either on plants or in the soil in late summer/early fall can overwinter, but adults cannot. Once they hatch (nymph stage) they resemble adults without wings. They then shed their skin (molt) to grow. Once they're adults and have developed wings, they will no longer molt.  The adult females then lay their eggs and the cycle begins again.

The forest sounds eerily quiet when katydids disappear, so make sure to sit outside for the next few weeks if you want to hear them once more before the temperature drops and the singing stops until spring.


0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

Picture
Picture

​​Our Services

Citizen Science apps
Nature Education 
Our apps
About
Blog
Support us

Contact Us

  • About
  • Our apps
    • Monarch SOS
    • Rash Plants
    • Lakes SOS
    • Knotweed!
    • Horseshoe SOS
    • Coastal SOS
  • Nature education
    • Monarchs
    • Rash Plants
    • Horseshoe Crabs
    • Knotweed
  • Blog
  • Support our work
  • Privacy policy