Tettigoniidae — katydids and bush‑crickets (long‑horned orthopterans)

Key characteristics

Members of this family are often called "long‑horned" because their antennae typically exceed body length. They are more closely related to true crickets than to short‑antenned grasshoppers. Typical morphological features include an elongated body, well‑developed hind legs for jumping, leathery forewings (tegmina), and, in females, a pronounced blade‑like ovipositor used to lay eggs in soil or plant tissue.

Biology and behaviour

Tettigoniids undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult). Many species are nocturnal and produce mating calls by rubbing parts of their forewings together (stridulation); these acoustic signals play a central role in courtship and species recognition. Diets vary widely: while many feed mainly on leaves and flowers, others are omnivorous or predatory and consume insects, spiders or small molluscs. Several tropical groups exhibit striking leaf mimicry and camouflage that conceals both shape and venation.

Diversity, habitat and evolution

The family is most diverse in warm, forested regions but occurs in temperate zones, grasslands and even alpine habitats. Subfamilies and genera show a broad range of sizes, shapes and life histories, reflecting adaptive radiation over geological time. Their evolution within Ensifera links them to other singing orthopterans and to ecological roles as both herbivores and predators.

Human significance and notable facts

• Ecological role: a food source for birds, bats and small mammals and a participant in plant–herbivore interactions.
• Agriculture: a few species can damage crops or ornamental plants, though widespread outbreaks are less typical than in some grasshoppers.
• Scientific and cultural interest: studied for acoustic communication, sensory biology and mimicry; featured in folklore and natural history.
• Identification tip: the very long antennae and, in females, the prominent ovipositor are practical field clues.

Tettigoniidae therefore represent a well‑known, ecologically important group of orthopterans noted for their sounds, sensory appendages and diversity. For further general references see family overview and resources on Ensifera, acoustic behaviour (species counts and lists), and comparative notes relating them to crickets and grasshoppers. Illustrative images and identification guides are available via specialist field guides and databases (katydid resources, bush‑cricket resources, antenna morphology).