Wildlife: A Bush Cricket Is Seen Foraging In Ancient Mayan Site In Guatemala Stock Photo

A Bush Cricket is seen in Peten, Guatemala. Insects in the family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids & x28;in Australia, South Africa, and the United States& x29;, or bush crickets. They have previously been known as long-horned grasshoppers. More than 6,400 species are known. They are primarily nocturnal in habit with strident mating calls. Many katydids exhibit mimicry and camouflage, commonly with shapes and colors similar to leaves. They range in size from as small as 5mm & x28;0.20in& x29; to as large as 130mm & x28;5.1in& x29;. The smaller species typically live in drier or more stressful habitats which may lead to their small size. The small size is associated with greater agility, faster development, and lower nutritional needs. Tettigoniids are tree-living insects that are most commonly heard at night during summer and early fall. Tettigoniids may be distinguished from the grasshopper by the length of their filamentous antennae, which may exceed their own body length. The lifespan of a katydid is about a year, with full adulthood usually developing very late. Females most typically lay their eggs at the end of summer beneath the soil or in plant stem holes. When they hatch, the nymphs often look like smaller versions of the adults, but in some species, the nymphs look nothing at all like the adult and rather mimic other species such as spiders and assassin bugs, or flowers, to prevent predation. The nymphs remain in a mimic state only until they are large