Huge katydids dangerous around breeding time

We regularly have Palm Katydids Segestidea queenslandica in our garden, but recently their enormous relatives the Giant Palm Katydid Segestja cheqthadai have congregated in the palms around the property.

The huge females are ravenous during the breeding season, and due to this, large palm fronds are regularly falling. To be safe, we are making the kids wear their bike helmets while playing on the lawn.

The adult females usually remain high up in the palms, and only come to the ground to lay their eggs. Their ovipositing will certainly eliminate any need to aerate the lawn this year.

This female came down with the falling frond. Her powerful mandibles had cut through the woody stem with ease.