Included in this group are the following six orders: Blattodea (cockroaches), Grylloblattodea (rock crawlers), Mantodea (praying mantises), Mantophasmatodea (heel-walkers), Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids), and Phasmida (stick and leaf insects).
With over 30,000 species, Orthoptera represent a large and diverse radiation of life. They are found throughout the world and are often conspicuous with interesting colors and fascinating morphologies. Many people are also probably familiar with the calls males produce to attract females. These songs are specific to each species and it is often easier to identify them by their call than by the specimen. While some are predatory, most feed on plants with some species even reaching plague proportions.