Ducetia japonica is a long-winged katydid with a stripe running down its back, found across much of Asia and into Australasia. It does not live in the United States. Its range is so wide that scientists now suspect the name may cover several look-alike species that differ mainly in their songs.
Appearance
- Appearance
- About 1¼–1½ in (3–4 cm) long to the wing tips. Green or brown, with a stripe running from the head down the back; the stripe color differs between males and females.
- Voice
- Males sing at night with a series of ticks that speed up and end in a few repeated, distinctive notes.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- grasslands
- forest edges
- hedges
- Range
- Native to East and South Asia, including Japan, China, and India, and extending into Southeast Asia and Australasia. Not found in the US.
- Preferred conditions
- In Japan, it lives in lowland grassy areas and forest edges, especially in tangles of climbing vines.
Behavior
- Diet
- Eats leaves, flowers, and ripening fruit of many kinds of plants.
- Activity
- Mostly active at night, resting on leaves during the day.
Life cycle
- Reproduction
- Females lay their eggs inside plant stems.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Song studies suggest that what has been called Ducetia japonica across Asia and Australasia may be a group of several very similar species, told apart mainly by their calls.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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