Twenty species of katydid live in the Midwest. They are known for their distinctive, repetitive sound. (Submitted photo)

In the summers in Mississippi, there was an incredible night sound, along with many others, that meant “summer” to me.

As I grew up, I realized that the sounds, especially the ONE, were katydids. There are 255 species in North America, and 20 in our Midwest. These insects get their name from the song they sing. It sounds like, “Katy did, Katy didn’t” and repeats over and over. These insects make a chorus with the crickets starting in late summer in the evening.

Katydids belong to the family Orthoptera (straight wing) meaning they are related to grasshoppers, but most related to crickets. Also called “big-horned grasshoppers,” they are usually green, depend on hearing more than sight, and are vertical bodied with the wings placed vertically over the body. They have long, tall, thin back legs, a sharp head, and females have a long sword-like ovipositor for depositing eggs. The ears, or typanums, are located on the first legs or tibia, as a dark oval on each one. All have antennae that are as long or longer than their bodies. These fine hair-like sensory organs help them find their way in the dark.

To make it simple, they look like a grasshopper. They are lime green and about the same size. Their wing shape is similar to the shape of large maple tree winged seeds. Their third set of legs are much longer than the first

Katydids are primarily nocturnal, and are one-half to 4 inches long. These leaf-shaped creatures do not fly well, but flutter or creep to blend in with their surroundings. They stay in trees and around the top, so as not to be prey for birds.

They overwinter as eggs in soil and debris, and hatch out by incomplete metamorphosis mid-summer. When they hatch out, they are miniature versions of the adults, but without wings. After nymph stages (called instars) they grow to adulthood. They have chewing mouthparts and are herbaceous, though some are predacious, eating other insects and eggs. They are found in grasslands, meadows, open woods, as well as tree tops. They are an important food source for birds, bats, frogs, spiders, etc. Even some kestrels, owls and hawks eat them.

The recognized rasping sound is made — and like the higher pitched sounds of the different kinds of katydids — by a scraper on the forewings being rubbed against the comb-like file on the legs. Mostly the males do the sounds to attract females. Some make clicks and buzzes, depending on the species. If she picks a male he will deliver a sperm packet with additional rich protein to nourish the female as she develops the eggs. When ready she deposits them in soil, bark, or plant debris on the ground.

To learn more about katydids, go to http://go.osu.edu/katydid.

Hughes is an Ohio State University Mahoning County Extension Master Gardener volunteer.