Reproductive Behavior

The male Peacock Katydid attracts a mate by emitting a high frequency call, which is produced by rubbing a scraper on one fore-wing against the jagged edge of the other fore-wing. This sound, unlike the audible call of North American species, is thought to double as an interference for the echolocation of bats, one of the many natural predators of the Peacock Katydid. When a female appears in response to the call, the katydids first sense each other with their antennae, and then proceed to produce short low frequency vibrations towards one another by shaking their entire bodies. They do this in order to gauge the size and strength of one another. If the male does not retreat, the female will approach and the male will slide his body under hers. The male will use a pair of processes on his abdomen to attach to the abdomen of the female and then cross his hind legs over her back in order to secure himself. Over the next few hours, the male will produce the spermatophylax and attach it to the female's ovipositor. The spermatophylax is a gelatinous structure that contains the male's sperm cells, as well as carbohydrates and proteins to ensure the survival of the female and health of the offspring. The males hold great interest in the survival of their offspring, considering that the spermatophylax can exceed more than 20% of their body mass. After the spermatophylax is attached, the pair separates and the female doubles over and begins to consume the spermatophylax.