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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing predatory katydids. Also known as predatory bush crickets, these insects are some of the only known strictly carnivorous katydids. Most katydids are herbivorous, or eat some animal material when it's available, but predatory katydids specifically seek out living animals to take down as their prey. And these arthropods aren't picky. They'll eat just about any unfortunate invertebrate they come across.

There are a few dozen classified, living predatory katydid species, though they're both cryptic and nocturnal, making them difficult to study in general. Most spend their days in low-lying vegetation or on the ground. They'll sit motionless for hours while they rest and are so chill during the day, some species will allow people to simply pick them up if discovered. That's a big "if" though. Predatory katydids, like many katydid species, blend in with their environment. They appear in greens and browns that perfectly camouflage them against the leaves they live among. These invertebrates don't have wings, so they're most commonly seen closer to the ground.

Considering the more limited information on this Subfamily as a whole, however, is fascinating because these insects tend to be pretty freaking big. It's not uncommon for predatory katydids to range from an inch to over three inches (25-75mm) long! These arthropods range throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe and have been introduced to North America. They most frequently live in hot, dry grasslands and open forests, but some species show preference for humid places, so there's variety within the group, though they aren't known from tropical rainforests.

Predatory katydids use their long, spined front legs to grab ahold of their prey and keep them still while they gobble them up. Some of their typical meals include grasshoppers and praying mantises. I find this particular fact a little unsettling considering mantises tend to also be predatory. It's a bug eat bug world out there. 

Most species in this Subfamily only produce one generation per year. The eggs hatch in spring, mature to adults by mid summer, mate, and perish with the onset of colder temperatures. There are some species, like the spiked magician (Saga pedo), who exclusively reproduce via parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis is successful reproduction of a female gamete, or egg, without the introduction of a male gamete, or sperm. In fact, the spiked magician population is entirely female.

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