### Identification The Greater Angle-wing Katydid is a master of arboreal camouflage. Reaching lengths of 50–65mm, its body is a vivid, translucent green. Look closely at the forewings (tegmina); they don't just mimic a leaf’s color, but its entire anatomy, complete with intricate "veins" and a central "midrib." To distinguish it from the similar Lesser Angle-wing (*M. retinerve*), look at the pronotum—the shield-like plate behind the head. In *M. rhombifolium*, this plate is smooth and lacks the sharp central ridge or "hump" found in its smaller cousin. Its overall silhouette is distinctly rhomboid, tapering sharply toward the rear.
### Habitat & Range Broadly distributed across the United States—from the coastal scrub of California to the humid forests of the Southeast—this species is a true canopy dweller. They favor deciduous forests, suburban gardens, and orchards. You will rarely find them near the forest floor; they prefer the sun-drenched "high ground" of oaks, maples, and citrus trees, where they blend seamlessly into the foliage.
### Behaviour By day, these katydids are motionless statues, pressing their bodies flat against leaves to avoid the eyes of birds. At dusk, the males begin a unique rhythmic percussion. Unlike the long, buzzing trills of other species, the Greater Angle-wing produces a series of sharp, mechanical "tics" followed by a rapid, shuffling "sh-sh-sh-sh." If you approach a calling male with a flashlight, he will often freeze or sidle around to the opposite side of a branch, much like a squirrel hiding from a predator.
### Diet Strictly herbivorous, they forage nocturnally on the tender growth of broadleaf plants. They are generalists, nibbling on everything from rose petals to willow leaves, leaving behind characteristic ragged notches along the leaf margins.
### Fascinating Fact The female’s egg-laying technique is a marvel of biological engineering. Using her blade-like ovipositor, she glues her flat, oval eggs onto woody twigs in two perfectly overlapping rows. The result looks exactly like a miniature set of grey, weathered shingles, protecting the next generation through the harshest winter winds.