Katydids in the Garden: Friend or Foe

The susurrus of cicadas and crickets are part of the garden’s natural melody during the summer, but so are katydids. Less persistent and more sporadic, these gentle insects emit a unique chirping sound that conjures up images of warm summer evenings. Heard nightly, they are rarely seen.

Occasionally, you may spot one out in the open: a curious-looking, mildly green insect that resembles a leaf. While they may leave holes in a few leaves, they are not terribly destructive. Your energy is better spent dealing with more loathsome insects like leaf borers and aphids. 

Similar to Atticus Finch’s sentiment echoed in To Kill a Mockingbird, katydids, like mockingbirds, are what make life a little more beautiful. Leave them alone, or at the very least, relocate them – killing them might as well be a cardinal sin. 

 

What are Katydids

Katydids are a large group of insects related to crickets and grasshoppers, numbering over 6,000 species worldwide, with more than 1,000 species in Australia alone. Although most katydids are some variety of green or brown, some are a startling Pepto-Bismol pink, owning their color due to a rare genetic mutation known as erythrism. Another less common variety is the brown version of the round-tipped conehead, which very much resembles a grasshopper. Coming out in early summer, their song reaches a peak during midsummer, then dwindles during the months of fall. 

Katydids are primarily nocturnal, coming out during the evening hours. Not all species will make the classic salt shaker sound – “tic-tic-tic”– some are more aggressive or territorial depending on the species. In some species, the males synchronize their songs, effectively forming a type of quartet. 

Malaysia, host to a teeming myriad of insects, is home to the Giant Malaysian Katydid, a carnivorous variety that can reach 15 cm (6 inches) in length. It feasts on geckos, lizards, frogs, and even possibly small animals, and produces a sound resembling artillery fire. 

While most katydids remain harmless, one species is potentially considered a pest to those with orchards. At 2 ½ inches (6 cm) in length, the broad-winged katydid causes damage to citrus trees. It can be recognized by its robust body and broader wings, which are veined like a leaf. Mature trees can survive a few punctured leaves; it is the young trees that suffer significant damage for defoliation. 

The Role of Katydids in the Garden

Friends, not foes, katydids are rather beneficial insects. They prey on many garden pests like aphids, while only eating a very small amount of green leaves. If you encounter holes in your plants, they are most likely the result of other pests rather than katydids. You can kill spiders all you want, but do not stomp on katydids. 

You might not like to hear this if you are particularly fond of them, but katydids are an important food source for many animals, including rodents, bats, and praying mantids. They are essentially are important part of the food web – removing them is like removing a block from the Jenga tower and dealing with the collapsed pile afterwards. 

Plants That Attract Katydids

Some gardeners openly appreciate these curious insects and their song, composed of a multitude of rasping chirps rhythmic in cadence, and actively seek to attract them to the garden. In Australia, a hotspot for katydids, they consume eucalyptus, banksia or acacia, but these may not be readily available in your area. 

Common plants that attract katydids include members of the legume family, such as clover and peas, as well as plants like sunflowers, asters, and goldenrod. They tend to favor tall, dense tangles of vegetation such as grasses, shrubs, and flowering plants, which offer ideal environments for creeping and foraging. Native plants that attract butterflies and other beneficial insects will also draw in katydids. 

How to Get Rid of Katydid Bugs

It is not recommended that you use pesticides or any stringent means to get rid of katydids. It’s best to leave them alone and wait until they move on or the winter frost does away with them. Should you feel the need to stop them, you can try with neem oil or row covers. Kids may also find enjoyment in going through the garden and hunting for them – make sure to release them later in a wild area if you don’t want them in your garden. 

If you continue to find an abundance of katydids in your citrus trees while the fruit is still small, it’s recommended that you apply insecticidal soap, neem oil, or a spinosad-based product. Keep the surrounding area free of debris and snip off any overgrowth.