**Forktailed Katydids** (*Scudderia furcata*) are common, medium-sized, green insects belonging to the long-horned grasshopper family. They are recognizable by their extremely long, slender antennae and the shape of the male’s terminal abdominal segment, which is divided into a distinctive fork. They are typically minor, occasional pests of fruit trees, ornamentals, and field crops. They are harmless to humans and are better known for the unique, rhythmic “singing” (stridulation) produced by the males at night.
Taxonomy and Classification
Forktailed Katydids belong to the family Tettigoniidae (long-horned grasshoppers) in the order Orthoptera. They undergo incomplete metamorphosis. They are closely related to crickets and other katydids. Their powerful camouflage (mimicking green leaves) makes them difficult to spot during the day, despite their size.
Physical Description
Adult Forktailed Katydids are 1 to $1.5$ inches long, with the antennae often extending much longer than the body.
- **Coloration:** Almost entirely bright green, providing excellent camouflage against foliage.
- **Wings:** Possesses large, leaf-like wings that cover the abdomen, mimicking the shape and venation of a leaf.
- **Male Feature:** The male is identified by the prominent **fork** or notch at the tip of the abdomen, used for classification.
- **Sound Production:** Males “sing” by rubbing a scraper on one wing against a file on the other wing (**stridulation**), producing a characteristic buzzing or chirping sound heard most often in late summer and fall.
Distribution and Habitat
Forktailed Katydids are widely distributed across North America, particularly in weedy fields, shrubs, and trees. Their habitat is foliage, where they spend their entire lives resting and feeding. They are common in tall grasses, shrubs, garden plots, and fruit tree canopies.
Behavior and Damage
The katydid has one generation per year, overwintering as eggs inserted into plant stems. Nymphs hatch in spring and feed on foliage and sometimes pollen or small insects.
Damage is typically minor:
- **Foliage Feeding:** They possess chewing mouthparts and feed on leaves, creating irregular holes or notches along the margins.
- **Fruit Damage:** They occasionally feed on the surface of developing or ripening fruit (e.g., apples, peaches), causing superficial blemishes or scrapes, which are mostly cosmetic.
- **Nuisance:** Their loud, persistent nocturnal singing can sometimes be considered a noise nuisance, but their damage rarely warrants large-scale chemical intervention.
Management and Prevention
Control is usually limited to small, high-value areas, as large-scale damage is rare.
- **Hand Picking:** For small garden plots or ornamentals, the large size and slow movement of the katydids make hand-picking effective.
- **Weed Control:** Removing tall weeds and dense vegetation adjacent to vulnerable crops can limit harborage and migration.
- **Chemical Control:** If populations are unusually high and threatening high-value crops (such as orchards), a general-purpose insecticide targeting the immature nymphs may be used, though this is rarely the first choice.
Conservation and Research
Forktailed Katydids are managed as minor pests. Research focuses on their acoustic communication (the science of stridulation) and their ecological role as occasional predators and herbivores in diverse ecosystems.