maybe it is the Northern Grass Pyrgomorph

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/the-10-largest-grasshoppers-in-the-world/

The northern grass pyrgomorph has a unique appearance!

Also sometimes known as the vegetable grasshopper, these grasshoppers can reach lengths of 1.2 to 1.6 inches.  They are usually found in tropical and coastal areas of Australia and can also often be found in gardens in those areas.  They are completely green and their bodies narrow at each end, often giving them the appearance of a leaf.  The appearance of northern grass pyrgomorphs is particularly helpful as they do not attempt to get away from predators, but instead rely on their camouflage to help them remain undetected.  These grasshoppers prefer to eat broad, leafy plants and generally do not do much damage to the areas they frequent.

Thanks @Friederike Susette Eberhard for conferming my answer..

Such an intriguing ResearchGate discussion question this is! This link may prove to hold the question's answer (see the colorful photographs!):

https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-grasshoppers/

"10 Different Types of Grasshoppers" You'll be surprised that not all grasshoppers are the same. Let's discover the different types of grasshoppers in this article. Did you know that a grasshopper apart from hopping and jumping, grasshoppers fly as well, having the ability to fly 8 miles per hour? Find out more interesting facts here!📷When we think of grasshoppers, most people are hit with the nostalgia of their childhood, chasing around grasshoppers in their backyard or garden, trying to catch them with their friends, siblings, or all by themselves. While grasshoppers are associated with pleasant memories of childhood, it is strange that people know so little about this common insect.

Starting with their physical attributes, grasshoppers display green, brown, or black bodies. Generally, they possess large hind legs and two wing sets, with hind-wings being large, and their forewings long and slim. As compared to their head, grasshoppers’ eyes are quite big with short antennae that help them sense objects around them. Their eyes are usually colored, having a combination of grey, green, and brown.

Grasshoppers range from a medium to large size; adult grasshoppers being 1- 7 cm in length. Some male species of grasshoppers have bright-hued wings which help attract their female counterparts. Their bright color also keeps predators away as it signals that they may taste foul.

Typically, female grasshoppers are larger in size than their male counterparts. They also have a pointy end at their abdomen that helps them lay eggs underground. Male grasshoppers also have the one-of-a-kind wings which they rub their hind legs with and produce sounds. Known for their jumpy flight, grasshoppers are known for leaping 20 times the size of their body. Apart from hopping and jumping, grasshoppers fly as well, having the ability to fly 8 miles per hour.

Grasshoppers are the kind of insects that are found in warmer regions. They can’t bear the cold weather and, therefore, are hard to be seen in North and South poles. The majority of the grasshoppers feed on plants – flowers, leaves, seeds, and stems. However, not all grasshoppers are the same, and that is why some of them are quite picky eaters and first have sample foods before actually eating them. This shows that different grasshoppers have different characteristics, which is why we have composed this blog post. In this post, we’ll discuss different types of grasshoppers that will help you discover the unique characteristics of each type.

Table of Contents Main Types of Grasshoppers

Long-Horned Grasshoppers Short-Horned Grasshoppers Another Type of Grasshoppers

Pygmy Grasshopper Related: Types of Insects | Types of Ladybugs | Types of Lice | Types of Silverfish | Types of Spiders

Main Types of Grasshoppers Grasshoppers are divided into two groups according to the length of their antennae:

Long-horned grasshoppers Short-horned grasshoppers Long-Horned Grasshoppers Formerly known as bush cricket, long-horned grasshoppers belong to the family “Tettigoniidae” and order “Orthoptera”. This type of grasshopper consists of approximately 6,000 species of insects and is identified through their long horns. These species possess slender antennae that can be camouflaged easily according to different circumstances. The antennae become active during the night and tend to create noise.

Almost all the members of this family are green in color, possess long wings, and prefer trees, shrubs, and bushes as their habitat. What sets these grasshoppers apart from others is their tympanum – a hearing organ – situated on their front legs. Studies show that their antennae are hairy and are as long as the overall length of their body.

When it comes to the females, they feature a pointed ovipositor (that helps them in laying eggs) and long wings in a different shape. On the other hand, the male species of this family are known for producing a song by rubbing their wings together. This activity helps them attract their female counterparts.

An interesting fact is that all the species have their own exclusive song. Long-horned grasshoppers come out in the open during warm seasons. In winters, they remain in their egg stage.

1. Katydid📷 Often referred to as long-horned grasshopper or bush cricket, Katydid is known for their huge hind legs, extremely long antennae, and a thick, curvy ovipositor.

Scientifically known as Pterophylla camelifolia, Katydids sing a song “katy-did, katy didn’t” for which these creatures are named after. While this is a common song often heard from katydids, each of these species has their own unique song that they produce through stridulation and rub their wings at the same time. The most common instances where you will hear katydids sing is when they are reproducing or are in a defensive mode for protecting their territory.

Katydids possess body length, ranging from 1 cm to 6 cm. However, the exception to this physical attribute is the matriarchal katydid (saga pedo) that can grow up to the 12 cm in length. While katydids display a bright green hue; some of these species are in pink and yellow as well. These bush crickets also happen to be poor flyers, some of them lacking wings entirely.

2. Meadow Grasshopper 📷Also belonging to the family Tettigoniidae and subfamily Conocephalinae, meadow grasshoppers are small to medium in size and are typically found near water bodies (streams, ponds, and lakes), ill-maintained meadows, and pastures. In addition to being small, they have a slender body as well which makes them light insects. These creatures love to be in the water near underwater plants and remain there for several minutes.

Meadow grasshoppers develop into many stages; initially, they are wingless nymphs (from April to May) and then they turn into winged adults in June. As they grow older, they shed off their exoskeletons and prefer to feed on plants and grass, especially that of the underwater.

Unlike Katydid, meadow grasshoppers make an “rrrr” sound during mating with their female counterparts. Katydids are usually seen in green color but they also appear in brown or purplish grey hues. These grasshoppers also exhibit grayish brown stripes around their eyes.

3. Cone-Headed Grasshoppers📷 As suggested by the name, cone-headed grasshoppers have a pointy cone-shaped head. They are identified by their light green or brown slender bodies which is 4 cm in length. If you try to capture them, they can bite with their strong jaws. These types of species prefer to live in grasslands or weeds.

Like other types of long-headed grasshoppers, cone-headed grasshoppers also have a specific song. Their song is comprised of only one note which is repeated over and over again to produce a melody. For example, a North American cone-headed grasshopper – N. robustus – creates a constant buzzing sound along with droning noise through their wings.

These species are typically found in warmer regions of southern and central Europe. Their two subfamilies are as follows:

Acrida ungarica ungarica Acrida ungarica mediterranea 4. Shield-Back Katydid📷 Shield-back katydid is the type of insect that largely bears resemblance with crickets. Most of these insects are 18 to 50 mm in length and in colors like black or brown. That being said, a few of them come in green shade as well. Generally, shield-back katydids possess short wings or no wings at all and therefore are unable to fly. One such example of shield-back katydids is the Mormon cricket – they happen to be flightless due to their wingless nature.

These species are found in western North America as they are seen in their open country, forests, and farmlands. The ideal season for shield-back katydids are summer and early fall; as the winter arises, these grasshoppers go into hiding. Shield-back katydids feed on other insects (both dead and alive) and plants.

These species go through a complete metamorphosis which means that as they hatch from their eggs they are smaller in size, without wings, and sexual parts but as they mature and enter into the adult stage, their wings and sexual organs begin to develop as well.

Short-Horned Grasshoppers Belonging to the family Acrididae and insect order Orthoptera, short-horned grasshoppers have short but heavy antennae. The females possess a four-valved ovipositor to help lay an egg and three-segmented tarsi. These species are herbivorous in nature and therefore have the most vicious pests ever known to mankind.

Short-horned grasshoppers typically range from 5mm to 11 cm in size. Their green or straw-hued bodies are either long or short. Owing to their body color, it is easy for these insects to camouflage to their surroundings. These grasshoppers also have long hind legs and femurs that help them jump to long distances. Note that not all of these species come with wings; some of them lack wings and therefore are flightless in nature. The winged male species possess the ability to make noises through the rubbing of their front wings. On the other hand, the most notable characteristic of female short-horned grasshoppers is that they can lay up to 100 eggs in the soil. Following are the types of short-horned grasshoppers that you must know about.

1. Spur-Throated Grasshoppers📷 These are the most popular species of grasshoppers in North America. They come in a wide range of colors including brown, red, green, yellow, and orange. Some species exhibit a bright range of hues with small spots all over their body and small and slender antennae on the top of their head. The females lay as many as 20 eggs in the soil and sit over them throughout the winter season. The nymphs mature in the early summer and remain in the out in the Southern states.

Generally, spur-throated grasshoppers are seen in open fields and meadows, flying from one place to another. These species can easily cross their boundary as they may fly as far as southern Canada and the United States. These destructive species come in many types, some of them are mentioned below:

Lubber Grasshopper📷 This type of species is well-known in the southeastern USA due to its large size and attractive body hues. One state where lubber grasshoppers are found in abundance is Florida where they are notorious for destroying vegetable crops.

Unlike other types of grasshoppers, lubber grasshoppers are slow and clumsy. They prefer crawling or walking over flying. Owing to this attribute, they are aptly named “lubber” as the word is derived from Lubber” which means lazy in old English.

Eastern lubber grasshoppers can be as long as 5 to 7 cm and may consist of red wings with black borders. On the other hand, the western lubber grasshopper, also known as the buffalo grasshopper, can be smaller in size with pink wings.

Locust📷 Belonging to the family Acrididae and order Orthoptera, locusts can be found worldwide. These species can be seen in great numbers as they move in swarms to faraway lands in hope of causing destruction.

Locusts are solitary in nature but certain changes in their mood and habits can make them gregarious. These species begin to breed heavily and grow in dramatic numbers. Wingless nymphs mature and then become swarms of winged creatures. The adult species rush toward the vegetation growth and aim to destroy them instantly. These are one of the fastest flying grasshoppers, having the ability to cover long distances. Moreover, locusts like to feed on green vegetations wherever they settle.

Migratory Grasshoppers📷 Commonly found in North America, migratory grasshoppers have a wide range of habitats, including grasslands and meadows. Depending on their type, migratory grasshoppers are either herbivorous or a forbivorous. These creatures are a serious threat to crops as well as to grasslands as they have caused and can further cause destruction to the vegetation in the United States.

As the name implies, migratory grasshoppers disperse and migrate to different parts of the land. Research shows that the reason these grasshoppers migrate is inherent and they tend to move on a regular basis.

2. Slant-Faced Grasshoppers📷 The slant-faced grasshoppers hail from the subfamily Acridinae and are distinguished by their slanted face and hind wings. These species are seen around wet meadows and marshes. However, they are always found in small numbers and therefore cause little to no damage to plantations and vegetations.

Most of these species prefer grasses (poaceae) or plants as their ultimate food. That being said, this is a large subfamily, consisting of many species with varying food preferences. Therefore, their types of food also vary.

3. Band-Winged Grasshoppers📷 A part of the subfamily – Oedipodinae, band-winged grasshoppers display colorful hindwings of hues like red, yellow, and black. These species are the only kind of short-horned grasshoppers that have the ability to produce sounds. It is believed that these species create a crackling noise when they fly. However, when they are not flying, these insects cover their colorful hind wings with their forewings. This helps to blend them into their surroundings. When these insects feel threatened, they jump out and expose their bold wings. Due to their beautiful wings, many predators mistake band-winged grasshoppers for butterflies.

One of the most common band-winged species includes the Carolina grasshopper that consists of black hind wings. Another common type of band-winged grasshoppers is the clear-winged grasshopper – the most common pesticide in North America.

Another Type of Grasshoppers Pygmy Grasshopper📷 Also known as grouse locusts, pygmy grasshoppers are small in size and appear in colors like brown, green, or gray. These species either have small-sized forewings or none at all. They also lack sound-producing or hearing organs, which is what makes them distinctive from long-horned and short-horned species. These species are commonly found in grassy fields and muddy shores.

Grasshoppers are active species that stay up during the nighttime as well. At night, they are usually busy feeding. When grasshoppers are caught, they may spit which is known as “tobacco juice”. Scientists believe that this juice helps them protect against their enemies.

Grasshoppers are commonly threatened by different types of flies that lay their eggs near grasshoppers’ eggs. Sometimes, some flies lay their eggs on top of a grasshopper’s body during their flight. The nymph may consume the grasshopper as a result. Besides flies, some common predators of grasshoppers include birds, mice, snakes, beetles, and spiders. With over 11,000 species of grasshoppers in the world, these flight insects are very old creatures, probably 200 million years old! Fascinating, right?

https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-grasshoppers/

This link furnishes some more candidates for this scientific research question "What type of Grasshopper is this on Cauliflower head?"

https://greennature.com/grasshoppers/

"Types of Grasshoppers With Pictures and Information" 📷"Proper identification of grasshoppers, katydids and crickets often starts with some grasshopper pictures, etc. al. Here’s a run down of basic information, shape, colors and sizes for all interested visitors.

Insects

Beginning with the basics, the Order Orthoptera consists of Grasshoppers, Crickets and Katydids.

Formally, grasshoppers divide into families of the Suborder Caelifera and the crickets and katydids divided into families of the Suborder Ensifera. Many of the literally hundreds of different Orthoptera species are considered agricultural pests, making Orthoptera research a popular field in entomology.

The picture at the top of the page shows one of many pest species found both in and away from the garden. It’s a Two-striped Grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus). They inhabits grasslands and sites of herbaceous vegetation throughout most of the United States, and they can be identified by the stripes starting on the head and ending in a “V” point at the bottom of abdomen.

Gardeners also dread the coming of grasshopper season because of the grasshopper’s inclination to snack on most everything the gardener plants. Check out the video to see how a grasshopper can devour a flower.

As a means of grasshopper control, experts suggest tilling the garden soil during the fall, deep enough to expose the eggs pods to the elements. They can not withstand the cold of winter.

Grasshopper identification is no easy task. There are about 660 grasshopper species in the United States and about 11,000 species around the world.

This introductory guide provides information on some of the types of grasshoppers, crickets and katydids that easily catch the camera’s eye.

Lubbers 📷 When it comes to grasshopper identification, most people think short antenna and brown or green body. While partially correct, many grasshopper species such as the Lubbers (Family Romaleidae), have large, colorful bodies.

The Eastern Lubber (Romalea microptera), a problematic Southeast species, often causes considerable agriculture damage.

They grow to a fairly large size, with adults typically displaying either a colorful body, as shown in the picture.📷 The Horse Lubber (Taeniopoda eques), a colorful inhabitant of the desert Southwest, sometimes move in large numbers looking for desert grasslands to feed upon.

Swarming Locusts (Schistocerca) 📷 Grasshoppers in the genus Schistocerca, commonly called bird grasshoppers, are also known around the world as the swarming locusts.

One Schistocerca species, the Desert Locust (Schistocerca gregaria), is responsible for many historical and contemporary agriculture disasters across Africa, the Middle-East and Asia, created when they form billion member swarms. Recent research suggests that Schistocerca species found in the United States descended from desert locusts that crossed the Atlantic Ocean some three to five million years ago.

North America hosts ten of what come to be known as the swarming locusts. With the exception of the wide-ranging Spotted Bird Grasshopper, all inhabit a more limited geographical range.

Generally, though not always, bird grasshoppers can be identified by the presence of a dorsal stripe. The Obscure Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca obscura) in the picture, grows up to three inches in length. Brown wings against a green body help it stand out when startled and flying.📷 The light yellow dorsal stripe on the next grasshopper suggests a White-lined Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca albolineata), a native desert Southwest species.

Crickets 📷 A variety of Orthoptera species go by the name cricket, however, members of the Family Gryllidae, also known as field crickets, bush crickets, ground crickets and tree crickets, are perhaps the best known.

Most cricket species are best known for their singing ability. In fact, only the males have the special forewings necessary to produce the typical cricket chirp.

Speaking of wings, while crickets have them, they are more a jumping than flying insect. Many entomologists estimate that common house and field crickets can jump up to twenty times their length. A five foot human would have to leap one hundred feet to match that record.

Asian cultures such as China and Japan share a long history of being enamored with crickets. People traditionally kept them as pets in cages or boxes to enjoy their singing or fighting abilities.

Katydid Pictures 📷 Identifying Katydids and differentiating them from grasshoppers can be a relatively straight forward task. Green bodies and long antenna serve as the dominant katydid (family Tettigoniidae) characteristics, although some katydids change body color to blend in with their background. Their long antennas explains their nickname, long-horned grasshoppers.

📷The first two pictures show variations of one of the most common katydids found from coast to coast. The fork-tailed bush katydid, Scudderia furcata. The first picture shows a maturing specimen, still with black legs. The second picture shows a fully developed adult. Adding some spice to the katydid picture, there are even some pink forms of the species.📷 Of course, every time a rule of thumb for insect identification gets written up, the exception to the rule follows. The next picture shows a Brown-spotted Bush Cricket, another insect that belongs to the katydid family. It’s a European native species that inadvertently got imported to the United States and now thrives in meadows and grasslands along the Pacific Coast.📷 Short-wing Katydids are a Southwest regional genera (Dichopetala). Their above average size and sedentary nature makes spotting them on the foliage around the yard fairly easy.📷 Like cicadas and crickets, most katydid species sing. Unlike the male cicada and cricket singers, both katydid genders sing. Their songs tend to sound like cicada songs, although they sing at night rather than copy the cicada’s daytime singing pattern. Some Katydid songs have the potential to keep their neighbors up at night. According to the University of Florida Entomology Department, The loudest insect song in North America is produced by a cone-headed katydid. Under favorable conditions its song can be heard from as far as 500 meters.

Most of the worlds katydid species inhabit tropical and subtropical regions. A by the numbers look at Katydids brings up approximately 250 species divided into fifty genera. Compared to the historical accounts of damage caused by the world’s grasshopper populations, katydid damage to agriculture interests might seem low. Nonetheless, katydid damage to field crops, citrus trees and residential trees can be substantial in instances of population outbreaks.

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https://greennature.com/grasshoppers/

The discussion and photographs in this brief scientific research article leads me to surmise that the pictured insect in this ResearchGate discussion thread question is not a grasshopper, but perhaps a katydid:

https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Region_2/NWRS/Zone_1/Wichita_Mountains/Sections/Cosa/WildlifeHabitat/03%20Common%20Grasshoppers,%20Katydids,%20Crickets%20AChiri%20508.pdf

According to this article, there are 6,400 species of katydids!

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/katydids/

"Katydids Males call to attract females. There is a lot of competition between males, and females try to select healthier males, judging their fitness by the sound of their trill (louder and more fluent is better). When the insects mate, the male passes a sperm packet (spermatophore) to the female. The males increase their chance of reproductive success by providing additional protein (a spermatophylax, which may require as much as 40% of his body weight to produce) attached to the spermatophore for the female to eat to help her develop her eggs. In species that produce large food gifts, the female is the one that seeks a mate. Males that produce large food gifts mate one or two times in their lifetime, while males that produce smaller gifts can mate more times, but are less likely to be selected by females. – Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin – Madison

📷The greater angle-wing (Microcentrum rhombifolium) is a leaf mimic katydid. Katydids are a large group of insects in the order Orthoptera, related to grasshoppers and crickets. Some katydids have been called long-horned grasshoppers because of their long and slender shape, but actually katydids are more closely related to crickets than to any type of grasshopper. There are about 6,400 species worldwide, with the greatest diversity in the tropics. Their classification is not well established, with taxonomists differing in their classification schemes. Most North American species are placed in the family Tettigoniidae and divided among seven to ten subfamilies. The main groups of commonly encountered katydids include the true katydids (Pseudophyllinae), false katydids (Phaneropterinae), shield-backed katydids (Tettigoniinae – but sometimes divided into three subfamilies), meadow katydids (Conocephalinae) and coneheaded katydids (Copiphorinae, but sometimes these are included with the meadow katydids). There are about 255 species in North American and 20 species in the Midwest.📷Tropical katydids in Costa Rica (L and LC, lichen katydid, Markia hysterix, in Costa Rica (C), and katydids in Peruvian Amazon (RC and R). 📷Black-legged meadow katydid (Orchelimum nigripes). Katydids are usually green and camouflaged to blend in with foliage, more commonly heard than seen. They have a body taller than it is wide and thin and hind legs that are longer than the other pairs of legs. Some characteristics that distinguish katydids from other orthopterans include having the wings held vertically over body (like a roof of a house), hearing organs on the front tibia, all tarsi with 4 segments (crickets have 3), a typically flattened and sword-like ovipositor, and very long, thin antennae as long as or longer than the body (in grasshoppers the antennae are always relatively short and thickened).📷Katydids have thin antennae that are as long or longer than the body, often much longer as in this brown Costa Rican katydid. The antennae are covered with sensory receptors that help them find their way around in the dark, since they are primarily nocturnal. Depending on the species, they can be from ½ to 4 inches long. Females tend to be larger than males and have a noticeable ovipositor at the end of the abdomen for laying eggs in plant stems or into the ground.📷Curve-tailed bush katydid (Scudderia curvicauda) on an opening hibiscus flower. Many species are leaf-shaped to blend in even better with their environment to prevent predation. During the day they rest in a specific diurnal roosting posture to make them look even more like just a leaf on the plant. Wing form varies widely, with most having long wings that cover the body, but some species have short wings or are nearly wingless. They tend to be poor flyers, and some only flutter their wings during leaps. Every so often a pink katydid shows up. It’s been estimated that pink coloration occurs in one of about 500 individuals, a condition called erythrism. It is caused by recessive genes, similar to the situation for albino animals. The New Orleans Audubon Insectarium acquired a pink male and a pink female katydid to produce a brood of pink katydids which are now on display there. These individuals would really stand out in their normal green environment and therefore would not be likely to survive as predators could find them too easily. But in the protected insectarium they grow and live just like regular green katydids.📷Fork-tailed bush katydid (Scudderia furcata) on a leaf. In our area katydids overwinter as eggs. Females deposit eggs in soil, plant stems or tree bark in late summer or fall. The adults die off, and the following spring the eggs hatch into nymphs. These generally resemble the adults except they are smaller and lack fully developed wings and reproductive organs. A few will look different than the adults. As the insects go through incomplete metamorphosis the wings gradually appear through generally five successive molts. Depending on the species, the female’s ovipositor may be short and curved like a sickle or long and saber-like. Those species with sickle-shaped ovipositors typically lay eggs in plant stems while those with elongate ovipositors generally lay eggs in grass stems.📷Immature katydids with no or short wings: fork-tailed katydid, Scudderia furcata (L), greater angle-wing, Microcentrum rhombifolium (C), and curve-tailed bush katydid, Scudderia curvicauda (R). 📷A Costa Rican katydid shedding its skin at night (L). A bush katydid (Scudderia sp.) molting (C) and leaving the shed skin behind (R). 📷Katydids are an important food of many birds, including this black-headed trogon in Costa Rica. Like other Orthoptera, katydids have chewing mouthparts, and most are herbaceous but rarely cause significant plant damage to crops or ornamental plants. You may find some feeding on leaves and flowers in your garden or on your potted plants, especially in late summer. Some, especially in the tropics, are predaceous, feeding on other insects or eggs. Many are nocturnal, but some are active during the day. They tend to be found in grasslands, open woods and along edges of plantings in suburban or rural areas, with many species in the treetops. They an important food for many animals, including birds, bats, rodents, tree frogs, spiders, and praying mantids. The rasping sounds created by the common true katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia), native to much of the eastern US and into southern Wisconsin, is said to resemble the sound of the words “Katy Did! Katy Didn’t! Katy Did! Katy Didn’t!”, hence the common name for these insects – but not all katydids make this classic sound. Each species has its own songs, with reproductive, territorial, aggressive, or defensive purposes. Males are mainly responsible for these songs, but in some groups the sexes form duets. Sounds produced by other species include continuous songs known as trills and a variety of clicks and buzzes created by stridulation (friction), all produced by special structures on the front wings. There is a rigid “scraper” on one forewing that they rub against a comb-like “file” on the other. The size of the insect, the spacing of the ridges and the width of the scraper determine what sound is made. Some kinds of katydids have an ultrasonic call, while a few produce vibrations by thumping on twigs that are detected by other katydids. In order to detect these sounds, katydids have a tympanum, a slit-like or flat patch on each front leg, which functions as an “ear” to detect these sounds (plural = tympana). They raise a leg to help pick up the sound. Calls can be heard both day and night, but in our area katydids generally start late at night and continue into the early morning hours in late summer, with quick bursts of two, three or four zitzing notes. Males nearby often alternate their songs in a back and forth melody. As temperatures decrease in the fall, the songs grow slower and usually end by October.📷A male black-legged meadow katydid (Orchelimum nigripes) calls atop Canada goldenrod in a prairie. https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/katydids/

This article has a photograph of a katydid, which more closely resembles the insect pictured in this ResearchGate discussion question than any of the others:

https://leafyplace.com/green-insects/

"Types of Green Insects With Pictures and Names – Identification Guide

Animals

📷

Green insects come in all shapes, sizes, and shades of green. Some common green insects such as grasshoppers, caterpillars, and lacewings have dark green to lime green bodies. Other insects, such as certain beetle species, have iridescent, metallic green bodies that seem to shimmer. Some butterfly species have fascinating neon green colors on their wings.

Insects—no matter what color they are—play a vital role in our planet’s ecosystem. Insects pollinate flowers, dispose of waste, and add to biodiversity. Some types of insects also produce things—for example, bees make honey, and silkworms produce silk. So, life would be much duller without insects.

Insects are classified and grouped by their order, family, genus, and species. The insect group or phylum is Arthropoda in the class Insecta. Then individual species are grouped by their genera. Some species of insects can be any color. However, some insects such as the praying mantis, grasshopper, and green stink bug are typically green.

Scientists estimate that there are over 900,000 kinds of insects and 30 million different insect species. It is estimated that there are 1.4 billion insects for every human on earth.

This article is a guide to identifying the most common green insects. Some of these green-colored insects you’ll see crawling or flying in gardens and parks. Other insects are more exotic and are rarely seen. You’ll also find out about light-green flies that are common household and garden pests.

Insect Identification

To identify insects, you must look at the number of legs and body parts they have.  For example, all insects are identified by the fact they have three pairs of legs and three body parts—a head, thorax, and abdomen. Another feature that identifies insects is their two compound eyes.

Insects are also classified as invertebrates. This means that they have soft bodies without bones. Some creeping green insects like beetles and grasshoppers have an exoskeleton—a hard protective shell. Other flying insects such as aphids and butterflies have soft bodies.

Many adult insects also have wings, even though not all winged insects fly.

Caterpillars are an interesting example of crawling larval insects. Like all insect types, caterpillars have six proper legs—although they seem to have more, called prolegs. After metamorphosis, caterpillars change into flying winged insects with stunning wing patterns.

Insects vs. Bugs

What’s the difference between bugs and insects?

True bugs are classified in the order Hemiptera. Green insects that are called bugs include the green stink bug (Chinavia hilaris), aphids (Aphidoidea), and the Australian greengrocer (Cyclochila australasiae). Generally, true bugs consume food by piercing and sucking plant juices.

Other green insects such as grasshoppers (Caelifera), beetles (Coleoptera), and butterflies (Lepidoptera) are not true bugs. So, while all bugs are insects, not all insects are classified as bugs.

Spiders are neither bugs or insects. Species of spiders belong to the order Araneae. They differ from insects because they have eight legs, and their bodies only have two sections.

Types of Green Insects (With Name and Picture)

Let’s look in more detail at the different kinds of green insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, green stink bugs, aphids and more.

Grasshopper (Caelifera)

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Grasshopper (Caelifera)

Grasshoppers are bright green jumping insects with long legs. Grasshoppers also have wings and fly. The green color of most grasshopper species camouflages them against plant foliage. Grasshoppers tend to lurk under foliage and among tall grass. You may spot signs of grasshopper activity by holes in crop leaves.

Grasshoppers can grow between 2” and 5” (5 – 12 cm) long.

Due to their insatiable appetite, grasshoppers can do a lot of damage in gardens, munching their way through plant leaves. But grasshoppers do the most destruction when they turn into flying green locusts. However, in large swarms, locusts turn dark brown or black.

Thankfully, grasshoppers are harmless to humans. Nevertheless, you probably want to get rid of these long-legged green insects from your garden—especially if you’ve many grasshoppers.

Related reading: How to get rid of grasshoppers.

Tree Crickets (Oecanthinae)

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Tree Crickets (Oecanthinae)

Tree crickets are small flying pale green insects that also have long legs for jumping like grasshoppers. As their name suggests, tree crickets live in trees and shrubs where their lime green color makes them hard to spot. Tree crickets have three pairs of legs, two sets of wings, and two antennae.

Green tree crickets measure up to 2” (5 cm) in length thanks to their long hind legs.

Tree crickets are usually identified by the chirping noise they make. Interestingly, the frequencies of the chirps change according to the temperature.

Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilaris)

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Green Stink Bug (Chinavia hilaris)

The green stink bug is an insect that looks like a bright green leaf in the shape of a shield. Also called the green soldier bug, green stink bugs are crawling insects that can be identified by the foul-smelling scent they emit when disturbed. The green stink bug also has six slender legs that it uses to crawl around foliage.

As with most types of true bugs, the green stink bug can become a crop pest. These leaf-like green bugs use piercing mouthpieces to suck juices from vegetables, fruit, stems, and foliage.

Green stink bugs also have two pairs of wings and fly. Their rigid, shield-like back protects the wings—one reason they’re also called shield bugs. You can identify adult stink bugs because the nymphs don’t have fully developed wings.

Green Butterflies

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Tailed Jay green butterfly (top) and Emerald Swallowtail (bottom)

Some species of green butterflies have striking black and green markings on their wings. Butterflies are soft-bodied flying insects with four wings, three pairs of legs, and two antennae. It’s easy to identify butterflies from moths as they’re very colorful, have smoother abdomens, feed during the daytime, and rest with their wings facing upward.

The Emerald Swallowtail butterfly has black wings with an almost luminous bright green stripe on each wing. Close-up pictures of this green butterfly also reveal faint green speckles on the wings.

The Tailed Jay green butterfly has green and black wings with green dots and blotches, creating an interesting pattern.

Other green butterflies have spectacular metallic green coloring on the wings that seem to change color as they flutter in gardens.

Praying Mantis

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Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is a tropical green insect in the order Mantodea. The praying mantis is characterized by its triangular head, a set of antennae, two pairs of legs that it stands on, and a pair of grasping forelegs. Many species of mantis have wings, whereas some are wingless insects.

The common name of these green insects (praying mantis) comes from the distinctive way they hold their front legs in a praying position.

A praying mantis is a popular type of insect to keep as a pet. Mantises are ambush insects that lie in wait to attack their prey—the green insects are sometimes named the preying mantis. These insects feed on other insects such as crickets, flies, moths, and grasshoppers.

Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla rufilabris)

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Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla rufilabris)

Green lacewings are flying insects with bright green to greenish-brown bodies. Lacewings are identified by slender bodies, translucent iridescent wings, and large golden compound eyes. Up close, you’ll notice green veins and faint patterns on the insect’s wings. Another feature of green lacewings is the unpleasant stink they give off when handled.

Green lacewings are classed as beneficial insects as they feed on common garden pests such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and thrips. If you grow greenhouse crops, lacewings are excellent predator insects to help control plant-eating bugs.

Katydids (Tettigoniidae)

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Katydids (Tettigoniidae)

Katydid is a type of green hopping insect that looks like a shiny green leaf. Also called bush crickets, katydid species use their green colors and wing shapes as camouflage to blend in with leaves and plant foliage. From the side, pictures of these bright green insects show they resemble a leaf.

A notable feature of broad-winged katydids is the chirping noises they make like crickets. These noisy, chirping insects typically ‘sing’ at night. Like crickets, the chirp frequencies change with the temperature.

Like many destructive green insects, katydids can do some damage to crop leaves and plant foliage. The plant-chewing insects gorge on leaves. However, compared to grasshoppers, katydids aren’t as destructive. Some gardeners consider katydids beneficial insects because they feed on aphids, thrips, and spider mites.

Although katydids look like green grasshoppers, you can tell the insects apart by their antennae. Katydids have long, slender arching antennae that can be longer than their body. However, grasshoppers have short, thick antennae."

https://leafyplace.com/green-insects/

There are three katydids pictured among other insects in this link. The fork-tailed bush katydid very closely resembles the katydid on the cauliflower head!

You have to click on the link to see the fork-tailed bush katydid:

Grasshoppers and Cricketshttps://www.insectidentification.org/grasshoppers-and-crickets.php

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There are a total of [ 38 ] Grasshoppers and Crickets in the InsectIdentification.org database. Always pay close attention to color variations and body shapes when trying to identify a species. To remove entries below, simply click on the 'X' in the red box of each respective insect.Grasshoppers and Crickets rule the summer months and open grasslands of North America. X

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Bird Grasshopper

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Camel Cricket

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Carolina Locust

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Common Coneheads

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Common Meadow Katydid

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Dark Jerusalem Cricket

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Differential Grasshopper

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Eastern Shieldback Katydid

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Field Cricket

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Fork-tailed Bush Katydid

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Gray Bird Grasshopper

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Greater Angle-wing Katydid

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Greater Arid-land Katydid

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Grizzly Locust

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Horse Lubber Grasshopper

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House Cricket

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Jerusalem Cricket

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Katydid

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Lesser Meadow Katydid

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Mischievous Bird Grasshopper

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Mormon Cricket

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Northern Mole Cricket

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Painted Grasshopper

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Plains Lubber Grasshopper

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Red-headed Bush Cricket

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Red-legged Grasshopper

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Restless Bush Cricket

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Slender Meadow Katydid

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Sooty Longwing Katydid

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Southeastern Lubber Grasshopper

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31

Spotted Camel Cricket

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Spur-throated Grasshopper

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Square-legged Camel Cricket

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Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid

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Tawny Mole Cricket

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True Katydid

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Two-spotted Tree Cricket

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Two-striped Grasshopper

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https://www.insectidentification.org/grasshoppers-and-crickets.php

This is a short video which reviews some grasshoppers, and there is a green match stick grasshopper that somewhat resembles the one on the cauliflower head:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm-s168rW4s

This recent article shows a wide variety of grasshoppers to be found in the Choctaw Nation in southeast Oklahoma:

https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/grasshoppers-of-the-choctaw-nation-in-southeast-oklahoma.html#top

"Grasshoppers of the Choctaw Nation in Southeast Oklahoma"

Published Jun. 2021 | Id: EPP-7341

By Alex J. Harman, W. Wyatt Hoback, Tom A. Royer

JUMP TO:

• Grasshoppers and Relatives 
• Grasshoppers and the Choctaw 
• A grasshopper with short, thick antennae. 
• Parts of a Grasshopper 
• Introduction to Oklahoma Grasshoppers 
• Grasshoppers of the Choctaw Nation 
• American Bird Grasshopper
• Obscure Bird Grasshopper
• Mischievous Bird Grasshopper
• Differential Grasshopper
• Keeler’s Spur-throat Grasshopper
• Grizzled Grasshopper
• Wrinkled Grasshopper
• Carolina Grasshopper
• Autumn Yellow-winged Grasshopper
• Green-striped Grasshopper
• Admirable Grasshopper
• Prairie Boopie
• Spotted-winged Grasshopper
• Two-striped Mermiria
• List of Choctaw Grasshoppers 

Grasshoppers and Relatives

Orthoptera is the order of insects that includes grasshoppers, katydids and crickets. These insects are recognizable by their shape and the presence of jumping hind legs. The differences among grasshoppers, crickets and katydids place them into different families. The Choctaw recognize these differences and call grasshoppers – shakinli, crickets – shalontaki and katydids– shakinli chito.

Grasshoppers and the Choctaw

Because of their abundance, large size and importance to agriculture, grasshoppers regularly make their way into folklore, legends and cultural traditions all around the world. The following legend was described in Tom Mould’s Choctaw Tales, published in 2004.

The Origin of Grasshoppers and Ants

During the emergence from Nanih Waiya, grasshoppers traveled with man to reach the surface and disperse in all directions. While travelling to the surface, the mother of the grasshoppers was stepped on by the men, which stopped the rest of her children from reaching the surface. Those already above ground spread in all directions, just as the first tribes of man had done. From then on the Choctaw called the creatures ‘eske ilay,’ which translates to “mother dead.”

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As the men emerged from the hill and spread throughout the lands, they would trample many more grasshoppers, killing and harming the orphaned children. Fearing that they would all be killed as the men multiplied while continuing to emerge from Nanih Waiya, the grasshoppers pleaded to Aba, the Great Spirit, for aid. Soon after, Aba closed the passageway, trapping many men within the cavern who had yet to reach the surface.

In an act of mercy, Aba transformed these men into ants, allowing them to rule the caverns in the ground for the rest of history.

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A katydid with thin, hair-like antennae versus.

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A grasshopper with short, thick antennae.

What is a Grasshopper?

Technically, the term grasshopper refers only to insects in the suborder Caelifera, sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshoppers. These range from tiny, ground-dwelling pygmy mole crickets (which are not closely related to true mole crickets) to the large, short-winged lubber grasshoppers found in western Oklahoma. The most commonly encountered grasshoppers in Oklahoma, and all the species discussed in this publication, belong to the family Acrididae, the true grasshoppers.

True grasshoppers as a group are easy to identify. They are elongated insects with short antennae and hind legs lengthened for jumping. Katydids and crickets, both of which are close relatives of grasshoppers, are often mistaken for them. Both groups possess similar hind legs, but katydids and crickets tend to have thin antennae that are longer than their bodies, while grasshoppers have short, thick antennae.

Grasshoppers have three main stages in their life cycle. They start out as eggs, usually deposited in egg pods within loose soil. The small, immature grasshoppers that hatch from these eggs are referred to as nymphs. They look similar to the adults but have very small wing buds. As they grow, they shed their skin, growing in size until they reach adulthood. At this point, many species have long, fully functioning wings, allowing them to fly. This publication focuses on the adults, as they are the easiest to identify and the most noticeable.

Parts of a Grasshopper

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Grasshopper Glossary

Crepitate: The act of making noise in flight, usually snapping or buzzing sounds.

Dorsal: Relating to the upper side of the grasshopper.

Savanna: A grassland habitat with scattered trees, sharing characteristics of both forests and prairies.

Sexual Dimorphism: Males and females of the same species differ significantly in appearance.

Ventral: Relating to the underside of the grasshopper.

Introduction to Oklahoma Grasshoppers

There are more than 120 species of grasshopper recorded in Oklahoma. This high diversity is a result of Oklahoma’s location within the U.S. Sitting toward the center of the U.S., Oklahoma encompasses a wide variety of ecoregions. Many eastern species reach the western limit of their range here, while many western species reach their eastern limits here, and the same can be said for northern and southern species.

While most species of grasshoppers have little impact on human activities, there are a few species that can be serious pests. Grasshoppers are considered to be the most important pests of rangeland in Oklahoma, where they annually consume approximately 22% of available forage. Additionally, at least one species, the high plains grasshopper, has had population outbreaks following droughts, forming swarms that have damaged crops and grasslands.

Grasshoppers of the Choctaw Nation

Thirty-eight species of short-horned grasshoppers were recently collected from counties associated with the Oklahoma Choctaw Nation boundaries. This publication highlights the 15 most common or most distinctive species. The grasshoppers covered in this publication can be divided into four subfamilies, based on a variety of characteristics. Becoming familiar with these subfamilies will help narrow down which species to choose from and make it easier to identify any grasshoppers not covered in this publication.

Bird Grasshoppers, Cyrtacanthacridinae – large grasshoppers with long wings, powerful flight and a spur on the underside of the throat.

Spur-throated Grasshoppers, Melanoplinae – similar to bird grasshoppers, but usually shorter and more robust. Also have a spur on the throat.

Band-winged Grasshoppers, Oedipodinae – usually cryptically patterned with bright hindwings that are flashed during flight. No throat spurs.

Slant-faced Grasshoppers, Gomphocerinae – thin grasshoppers, usually with a slanted face. No throat spurs.

American Bird Grasshopper

Schistocerca americana, Cyrtacanthacridinae

Description: The American bird grasshopper is a large, red to orange-brown grasshopper. It has a yellow dorsal line extending down the back and is covered in a variety of dark spots and white lines.

Length: 1.2 inches to 2.8 inches (30 mm to 70 mm).

Similar species: No other large grasshopper in eastern Oklahoma possesses brown coloration and dark spots on the wings.

Habitat: Found in a variety of open habitats including wheat fields, parks and prairies. Often attracted to lights at night.

Seasonality: Adults begin to appear in late July, with some surviving through the winter until the following May. Peak season occurs August to October.

Discussion: American bird grasshoppers are strong fliers and will regularly fly into the nearest shrub or tree when flushed. While occasionally a pest of citrus in Florida, it rarely attains pest status elsewhere.

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A male American bird grasshopper.

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A female American bird grasshopper.

Obscure Bird Grasshopper

Schistocerca obscura, Cyrtacanthacridinae

Description: The obscure bird grasshopper is a large, green grasshopper with brown wings and a bright yellow-green stripe down its back.

Length: 1.4 inches to 2.6 inches (35 mm to 65 mm).

Similar species: The spotted bird grasshopper, S. lineata, is very similar, but usually with a cream dorsal stripe instead of yellow-green, and highly variable in color, ranging from green to brown to orange.

Habitat: Found in a variety of semi-open habitats including wheat gardens, parks, and roadsides. Usually the most abundant bird grasshopper in urban areas.

Seasonality: Adults begin to appear in late July, remaining active until cold winter temperatures kill them off.

Discussion: Like most bird grasshoppers, the obscure bird grasshopper is a strong flier. While this species is usually not an important pest, a population outbreak of obscure bird grasshoppers following the dust bowl of the 1930s resulted in significant damage to crops and ornamental plants.

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A female obscure bird grasshopper.

Mischievous Bird Grasshopper

Schistocerca damnifica, Cyrtacanthacridinae

Description: The mischievous bird grasshopper is a medium-sized, brown grasshopper with a light brown dorsal stripe. This is the smallest of the bird grasshoppers in Oklahoma, with the females being short-winged and nearly flightless.

Length: 1.0 inch to 2.0 inches (25 mm to 50 mm).

Similar species: A light brown spotted bird grasshopper, S. lineata could appear similar, but are longer winged and usually found in grasslands.

Habitat: Found in open wooded habitats, such as forested floodplains and along roads that cut through woodland. It is usually found on the ground where it is well camouflaged amongst the leaf litter.

Seasonality: This species overwinters, with new adults appearing in August and living until the following spring. Peak activity is usually September to October and April to May.

Discussion: Mischievous bird grasshoppers are secretive and rely more on their camouflage to avoid predators than their poor flight capabilities. However, they are one of the most noticeable grasshoppers in woodlands when very few species are active in early spring.

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A male mischievous bird grasshopper.

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A  female mischievous bird grasshopper.

Differential Grasshopper

Melanoplus differentialis, Melanoplinae

Description: The differential grasshopper is a large spurthroated grasshopper that varies in color from dark green to light orange. The large size and the herringbone pattern (chevrons) on the hind femur are distinctive.

Length: 1.2 inches to 2.0 inches (30 mm to 50 mm).

Similar species: Ponderous spur-throated grasshoppers, M. ponderosus, are similar, but are generally found in woodland habitats and have light bands interrupting the herringbone pattern on the hind femur.

Habitat: Found in a variety of open habitats, especially grasslands, gardens, crop fields and other disturbed areas.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in late July and live until winter.

Discussion: Differential grasshoppers are notable pests of crops throughout their range. They are one of the most common species found in gardens.

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Two color variants of the differential grasshopper.

Two-striped Grasshopper

Melanoplus bivittatus, Melanoplinae

Description: The two-striped grasshopper is a spur-throated grasshopper that is usually dark brown above, cream-colored on the side, with two light stripes going down the back.

Length: 1.0 inch to 1.8 inches (25 mm to 45 mm).

Similar species: The rare Paratylotropidia brunneri looks very similar but has shorter wings and red hind tibiae (the hind tibiae are gray to blue in two-striped grasshoppers in Oklahoma).

Habitat: Found in a variety of open habitats, especially grasslands, gardens and crop fields. Often found near water.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in late June and live until winter.

Discussion: The two-striped grasshopper is another common pest species of gardens, crop fields and disturbed areas. It can be common in urban habitats.

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Two color variants of the two-striped grasshopper.

Keeler’s Spur-throat Grasshopper

Melanoplus keeleri, Melanoplinae

Description: Keeler’s spur-throat grasshopper is a medium-sized grasshopper characterized by red tibiae and a femur that is banded dorsally and entirely light underneath. The cerci of males have two branches, with the top branch being larger.

Length: 0.6 inch to 1.6 inches (15 mm to 40 mm).

Similar species: Many species of medium-sized Melanoplus are similar, but the pattern on the hind leg and the cerci shape are distinct. It is more robust than most other similarly sized Melanoplus.

Habitat: Common in open woodlands, also in pastures and open fields.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in August and live until winter.

Discussion: The Keeler’s spur-throat grasshopper is often found in sandy areas in Oklahoma.

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A male Keeler’s spur-throat grasshopper with a close-up of its cercus.

Grizzled Grasshopper

Melanoplus punctulatus, Melanoplinae

Description: Grizzled grasshoppers are gray-green, medium-sized grasshoppers covered in dark speckles. The inside of the hind femur is red.

Length: 0.8 inch to 1.8 inches (20 mm to 45 mm).

Similar species: No other species in eastern Oklahoma has such evenly speckled patterning.

Habitat: Associated with a variety of tree species including ash, cottonwood and pine. Most abundant in savanna settings with scattered trees.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in August and live until winter.

Discussion: Grizzled grasshoppers were once thought to be nocturnal because they were rarely collected. However, the high number submitted on citizen science websites suggests they are active during the day, but the fact that they live on trees rather than in the open grassy habitats frequented by most grasshoppers makes them difficult to find. The females lay their eggs in tree bark, which is unusual amongst grasshoppers.

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A female grizzled grasshopper on a tree trunk.

Wrinkled Grasshopper

Hippiscus ocelote, Oedipodinae

Description: Wrinkled grasshoppers are large, thick-bodied band-wing grasshoppers. The hindwing color is usually yellow or pink, but intermediates occasionally occur. The inner hind femur is banded black and yellow.

Length: 1.2 inches to 2.2 inches (30 mm to 55 mm).

Similar species: Many similar species of Xanthippus and Pardalophora occur throughout Oklahoma, but they are all early-season species that rarely last until July. In addition, the hind femur color and pattern are distinct.

Habitat: Found in a wide variety of open habitats. Common on lawns, mowed roadsides and bare clay.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in late July and live until winter.

Discussion: Wrinkled grasshoppers are one of the most readily noticed grasshopper species in late summer throughout Oklahoma. Despite their abundance, they feed primarily on grass and rarely reach pest status.

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A female wrinkled grasshopper and two hindwing color morphs.

Carolina Grasshopper

Dissosteira carolina, Oedipodinae

Description: Carolina grasshoppers are long, slender, cryptically colored grasshoppers that range from tan to gray. The hindwings are distinct, almost entirely black with a pale yellow outside edge.

Length: 1.2 inches to 2.4 inches (30 mm to 60 mm).

Similar species: While many band-winged grasshoppers appear similar while resting, the black hindwings are distinct. In flight, it is often mistaken for a butterfly, particularly mourning cloaks, Nymphalis antiopa.

Habitat: Found open flat habitats, usually associated with humans, such as parking lots and sidewalks.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in late June and live until October.

Discussion: One of the most widespread band-winged grasshoppers in the U.S., this species may have been able to expand its range to utilize human-made habitats

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A female Carolina grasshopper and a specimen showing the hindwing pattern.

Autumn Yellow-winged Grasshopper

Arphia xanthoptera, Oedipodinae

Description: Autumn yellow-winged grasshoppers are medium-sized, cryptically colored grasshoppers with a broad black band near the outer edge of the hindwings. The inner portion of the hindwings varies from yellow to orange.

Length: 1.4 inches to 1.8 inches (35 mm to 45 mm).

Similar species: There are many similar species of Arphia in Oklahoma, some of which are difficult to separate. However, only the autumn yellow-winged grasshopper has a smooth raised crest on its pronotum.

Habitat: Found in open woodlands, forest edges and grassy fields. Often found on bare ground, but will fly into brush when disturbed.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in August and live until winter.

Discussion: Like many band-winged grasshoppers, the males make crackling noises, called crepitating, while in flight to attract females.

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A female autumn yellow-winged grasshopper and two hindwing color morphs.

Green-striped Grasshopper

Chortophaga viridifasciata, Oedipodinae

Description: Green-striped grasshoppers are small to medium band-winged grasshoppers with translucent yellow and black bands on the hindwings. The body color is usually either brown or green, but occasionally pink morphs occur. The stripe that divides the eyes in half is distinct.

Length: 0.8 inch to 1.6 inches (20 mm to 40 mm).

Similar species: The various species of Arphia look similar when resting but have much bolder colors on the hindwing.

Habitat: Any open habitat, from lawns and sidewalks to forest edges and rock outcroppings.

Seasonality: Adults can be found essentially year-round in Oklahoma, with peaks in April to May and August to October.

Discussion: The most abundant grasshopper in eastern Oklahoma, this species can be found everywhere but the densest forests. It feeds primarily on grasses, so despite its abundance it is not noted to be a major pest.

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A green and brown morph green-striped grasshopper with a specimen showing the hindwing pattern.

Admirable Grasshopper

Syrbula admirabilis, Gomphocerinae

Description: This long-legged, slender slant-faced grasshopper is highly sexually dimorphic – the males and females look very different from each other. The males are much smaller and are brown with dark and light patterning. The larger females are primarily green, with similar dark and light patterning. Both sexes have dark spots on the wings.

Length: Males: 0.8 inch to 1.2 inches (20 mm to 30 mm), females: 1.4 inches to 2.0 inches (35 mm to 50 mm).

Similar species: The two species of Mermiria found in the region look similar but lack dark spots on the wings.

Habitat: Open grassy habitats, most commonly found in lawns and roadsides.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in July and live until winter.

Discussion: Admirable grasshoppers, like many species of slant-faced grasshoppers, will often dive toward the ground when disturbed, where they can easily hide amongst the grass stems to avoid detection.

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A female admirable grasshopper.

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A male admirable grasshopper.

Prairie Boopie

Boopedon gracile, Gomphocerinae

Description: This medium-sized slant-faced grasshopper is also highly sexually dimorphic. The smaller males are dark brown to black with white markings on the thorax and the legs. The larger females are either green or brown, with similar patterning to the males. Both sexes have red hind tibia and male have red undersides.

Length: Males: 1.0 inch to 1.4 inches (25 mm to 35 mm), females: 1.2 inches to 2.0 inches (30 mm to 50 mm).

Similar species: The only similar species that may occur in the region is the short-winged boopie, Boopedon auriventris. This species has shorter wings, longer legs and a yellow underside.

Habitat: Found in open grassy habitats, such as roadsides and savannas. Avoids areas where grass is too tall.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in June and live through September.

Discussion: While male prairie boopies show little variation, the females are highly variable. In addition to being either brown or green, they also can have either long or short wings. The short-winged forms may be confused with a spur-throated grasshopper nymph, but lack the throat spur that characterizes that subfamily.

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A short-winged female prairie boopie.

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A short-winged male prairie boopie.

Spotted-winged Grasshopper

Orphulella pelidna, Gomphocerinae

Description: A nondescript, small grasshopper commonly found throughout eastern Oklahoma. It varies from brown to green, with the brown form being most abundant in Oklahoma. No bold markings aside from the two dark stripes along the sides of the pronotum, note the row of dark forewing spots.

Length: 0.8 inch to 1.2 inches (20 mm to 30 mm).

Similar species: The slant-faced pasture grasshopper, Orphuella speciosa, is very similar. It differs by averaging a bit smaller (15 mm to 25 mm), having shorter wings that barely extend beyond the abdomen tip and being found in drier, more open environments.

Habitat: Found in a wide variety of habitats, but most often encountered in open woodland and forest edges.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in July and live until winter.

Discussion: One of the most widespread grasshoppers in Oklahoma.

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A brown-morph spotted-winged grasshopper.

Two-striped Mermiria

Mermiria bivittata, Gomphocerinae

Description: This long-legged, very slender slant-faced grasshopper is one of the longest slant-faced grasshoppers in our region. It is usually pale brown, although occasionally greener, with two dark stripes extending from the eye to the wings. The wings are primarily dark brown, but with a light stripe on top and usually with one white stripe on each side. Males in some parts of Oklahoma lack the white stripe on the forewing.

Length: 1.2- inches to 2.2 inches (30 mm to 55 mm).

Similar species: Most similar to the lively mermiria, Mermiria picta. M. picta usually is green with reddish-brown markings and lacks the light stripes on the sides of the wings.

Habitat: Found in open grassy habitats, usually associated with tall grass.

Seasonality: New adults begin appearing in July and live until winter.

Discussion: The two-striped mermiria is another species that will regularly dive into grass bunches to escape predators.

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A female two-striped mermiria.

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A  male two-striped mermiria.

List of Choctaw Grasshoppers

This document may not include all of the grasshoppers found in the Choctaw Nation. Many of the species not included here are discussed in the ‘similar species’ portion of the species accounts. Since some of these species lack common names, they are all listed by scientific name. The scientific names easily can be searched for to obtain additional information. This is a complete list of grasshoppers collected during our surveys in the Choctaw Nation.

Subfamily Cyrtacanthacridinae

Schistocerca americana

Schistocerca obscura

Schistocerca lineata

Schistocerca alutacea

Schistocerca damnifica

Subfamily Gomphocerinae

Syrbula admirabilis

Boopedon gracile

Amblytropidia mysteca

Orphulella pelidna

Orphulella speciosa

Dichromorpha viridis

Mermiria bivittata

Mermiria picta

Subfamily Leptysminae

Leptysma marginicollis

Subfamily Melanoplinae

Melanoplus differentialis

Melanoplus bivittatus

Melanoplus ponderosus

Melanoplus punctulatus

Melanoplus bispinosus

Melanoplus angustipennis

Melanoplus sanguinipes

Melanoplus keeleri

Melanoplus femurrubrum

Melanoplus rusticus

Melanoplus arkansas

Campylacantha olivacea

Paroxya clavuliger

Subfamily Oedipodinae

Hippiscus ocelote

Hadrotettix trifasciatus

Trachyrhachys kiowa

Dissosteira carolina

Spharagemon bolli

Spharagemon cristatum

Trimerotropis maritima

Arphia sulphurea

Arphia xanthoptera"

Encoptolophus costalis

Chortophaga viridifasciata

https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/grasshoppers-of-the-choctaw-nation-in-southeast-oklahoma.html#top

The two-striped mermiria has a similar shape but it is not green! Actually, none of these grasshoppers bears a resemblance to the grasshopper on the cauliflower head.

https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/grasshoppers-of-the-choctaw-nation-in-southeast-oklahoma.html#top

The best scientific research article with a fair number of references is in the Wikipedia. There is a picture of a green Gaudy grasshopper which looks a lot like the grasshopper on the cauliflower head. But it is difficult to know for certain because both of these green grasshoppers are able to camouflage themselves to keep them from becoming a predator's meal!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper

Grasshopper

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Grasshoppers

Temporal range: 252 Ma–Recent

📷American grasshopper (Schistocerca americana) Scientific classification📷Kingdom: Animalia Phylum :Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Orthoptera Suborder: CaeliferaInfra order: AcridideaInformal group: Acridomorpha Dirsh, 1966 Superfamilies

• Acridoidea
• Eumastacoidea
• Pneumoroidea
• Proscopioidea
• Pyrgomorphoidea
• Tanaoceroidea
• Trigonopterygoidea

Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is probably the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago.

Grasshoppers are typically ground-dwelling insects with powerful hind legs which allow them to escape from threats by leaping vigorously. As hemimetabolous insects, they do not undergo complete metamorphosis; they hatch from an egg into a nymph or "hopper" which undergoes five moults, becoming more similar to the adult insect at each developmental stage. [1]The grasshopper hears through the tympanal organ which can be found in the first segment of the abdomen attached to the thorax; while its sense of vision is in the compound eyes, the change in light intensity is perceived in the simple eyes (ocelli). At high population densities and under certain environmental conditions, some grasshopper species can change color and behavior and form swarms. Under these circumstances, they are known as locusts.

Grasshoppers are plant-eaters, with a few species at times becoming serious pests of cereals, vegetables and pasture, especially when they swarm in their millions as locusts and destroy crops over wide areas. They protect themselves from predators by camouflage; when detected, many species attempt to startle the predator with a brilliantly-coloured wing-flash while jumping and (if adult) launching themselves into the air, usually flying for only a short distance. Other species such as the rainbow grasshopper have warning coloration which deters predators. Grasshoppers are affected by parasites and various diseases, and many predatory creatures feed on both nymphs and adults. The eggs are subject to attack by parasitoids and predators.

Grasshoppers have had a long relationship with humans. Swarms of locusts can have devastating effects and cause famine, having done so since Biblical times.[2] Even in smaller numbers, the insects can be serious pests. They are used as food in countries such as Mexico and Indonesia. They feature in art, symbolism and literature. The study of grasshopper species is called acridology.

Contents

• 1Phylogeny
• 2Characteristics
• 3Biology3.1Diet and digestion 3.2Sensory organs 3.3Circulation and respiration 3.4Jumping 3.5Stridulation 3.6Life cycle 3.7Swarming
• 4Predators, parasites, and pathogens4.1Anti-predator defences
• 5Relationship with humans5.1In art and media 5.2Symbolism 5.3As food 5.4As pests 5.5Detection of explosives 5.6In literature 5.7In mechanical engineering
• 6Notes
• 7References
• 8Sources
• 9External links

Phylogeny[edit]

Grasshoppers belong to the suborder Caelifera. Although "grasshopper" is sometimes used as a common name for the suborder in general,[3][4][5] some sources restrict it to the more "advanced" groups.[6] They may be placed in the infraorder Acrididea[7] and have been referred-to as "short-horned grasshoppers" in older texts[8] to distinguish them from the also-obsolete term "long-horned grasshoppers" (now bush-crickets or katydids) with their much longer antennae. The phylogeny of the Caelifera, based on mitochondrial ribosomal RNA of thirty-two taxa in six out of seven superfamilies, is shown as a cladogram. The Ensifera (crickets, etc.), Caelifera and all the superfamilies of grasshoppers except Pamphagoidea appear to be monophyletic.[9][10]

OrthopteraEnsifera (crickets, katydids, etc.)

[6 superfamilies] 📷

Caelifera

Tridactyloidea 📷

Tetrigoidea 📷

Eumastacidae 📷

Proscopiidae 📷

Pneumoridae 📷

Pyrgomorphidae 📷

Acrididae + Pamphagidae 📷

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Fossil grasshoppers at the Royal Ontario Museum

In evolutionary terms, the split between the Caelifera and the Ensifera is no more recent than the Permo-Triassic boundary;[11] the earliest insects that are certainly Caeliferans are in the extinct families Locustopseidae and Locustavidae from the early Triassic, roughly 250 million years ago. The group diversified during the Triassic and have remained important plant-eaters from that time to now. The first modern families such as the Eumastacidae, Tetrigidae and Tridactylidae appeared in the Cretaceous, though some insects that might belong to the last two of these groups are found in the early Jurassic.[12][13] Morphological classification is difficult because many taxa have converged towards a common habitat type; recent taxonomists have concentrated on the internal genitalia, especially those of the male. This information is not available from fossil specimens, and the palaentological taxonomy is founded principally on the venation of the hindwings.[14]

The Caelifera includes some 2,400 valid genera and about 11,000 known species. Many undescribed species probably exist, especially in tropical wet forests. The Caelifera have a predominantly tropical distribution with fewer species known from temperate zones, but most of the superfamilies have representatives worldwide. They are almost exclusively herbivorous and are probably the oldest living group of chewing herbivorous insects.[14]

The most diverse superfamily is the Acridoidea, with around 8,000 species. The two main families in this are the Acrididae (grasshoppers and locusts) with a worldwide distribution, and the Romaleidae (lubber grasshoppers), found chiefly in the New World. The Ommexechidae and Tristiridae are South American, and the Lentulidae, Lithidiidae and Pamphagidae are mainly African. The Pauliniids are nocturnal and can swim or skate on water, and the Lentulids are wingless.[12] Pneumoridae are native to Africa, particularly southern Africa, and are distinguished by the inflated abdomens of the males.[15]

Characteristics[edit]

Grasshoppers have the typical insect body plan of head, thorax and abdomen. The head is held vertically at an angle to the body, with the mouth at the bottom. The head bears a large pair of compound eyes which give all-round vision, three simple eyes which can detect light and dark, and a pair of thread-like antennae that are sensitive to touch and smell. The downward-directed mouthparts are modified for chewing and there are two sensory palps in front of the jaws.[16]

The thorax and abdomen are segmented and have a rigid cuticle made up of overlapping plates composed of chitin. The three fused thoracic segments bear three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings. The forewings, known as tegmina, are narrow and leathery while the hindwings are large and membranous, the veins providing strength. The legs are terminated by claws for gripping. The hind leg is particularly powerful; the femur is robust and has several ridges where different surfaces join and the inner ridges bear stridulatory pegs in some species. The posterior edge of the tibia bears a double row of spines and there are a pair of articulated spurs near its lower end. The interior of the thorax houses the muscles that control the wings and legs.[16]

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Ensifera, like this great green bush-cricket Tettigonia viridissima, somewhat resemble grasshoppers but have over 20 segments in their antennae and different ovipositors.

The abdomen has eleven segments, the first of which is fused to the thorax and contains the tympanal organ and hearing system. Segments two to eight are ring-shaped and joined by flexible membranes. Segments nine to eleven are reduced in size; segment nine bears a pair of cerci and segments ten and eleven have the reproductive organs. Female grasshoppers are normally larger than males, with short ovipositors.[16] The name of the suborder "Caelifera" comes from the Latin and means chisel-bearing, referring to the shape of the ovipositor.[17]

Those species that make easily heard noises usually do so by rubbing a row of pegs on the hind legs against the edges of the forewings (stridulation). These sounds are produced mainly by males to attract females, though in some species the females also stridulate.[18]

Grasshoppers may be confused with crickets, but they differ in many aspects; these include the number of segments in their antennae and the structure of the ovipositor, as well as the location of the tympanal organ and the methods by which sound is produced.[19] Ensiferans have antennae that can be much longer than the body and have at least 20–24 segments, while caeliferans have fewer segments in their shorter, stouter antennae.[18]

Biology[edit]

Diet and digestion[edit]

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Structure of mouthparts

Further information: Digestive system of insects

Most grasshoppers are polyphagous, eating vegetation from multiple plant sources,[20] but some are omnivorous and also eat animal tissue and animal faeces. In general their preference is for grasses, including many cereals grown as crops.[21] The digestive system is typical of insects, with Malpighian tubules discharging into the midgut. Carbohydrates are digested mainly in the crop, while proteins are digested in the ceca of the midgut. Saliva is abundant but largely free of enzymes, helping to move food and Malpighian secretions along the gut. Some grasshoppers possess cellulase, which by softening plant cell walls makes plant cell contents accessible to other digestive enzymes.[22]

Sensory organs

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Frontal view of Egyptian locust (Anacridium aegyptium) showing the compound eyes, tiny ocelli and numerous setae

Grasshoppers have a typical insect nervous system, and have an extensive set of external sense organs. On the side of the head are a pair of large compound eyes which give a broad field of vision and can detect movement, shape, colour and distance. There are also three simple eyes (ocelli) on the forehead which can detect light intensity, a pair of antennae containing olfactory (smell) and touch receptors, and mouthparts containing gustatory (taste) receptors.[23] At the front end of the abdomen there is a pair of tympanal organs for sound reception. There are numerous fine hairs (setae) covering the whole body that act as mechanoreceptors (touch and wind sensors), and these are most dense on the antennae, the palps (part of the mouth), and on the cerci at the tip of the abdomen.[24] There are special receptors (campaniform sensillae) embedded in the cuticle of the legs that sense pressure and cuticle distortion.[25] There are internal "chordotonal" sense organs specialized to detect position and movement about the joints of the exoskeleton. The receptors convey information to the central nervous system through sensory neurons, and most of these have their cell bodies located in the periphery near the receptor site itself.[24]

Circulation and respiration[edit]

Further information: Insect morphology § Circulatory system, and Respiratory system of insects

Like other insects, grasshoppers have an open circulatory system and their body cavities are filled with haemolymph. A heart-like structure in the upper part of the abdomen pumps the fluid to the head from where it percolates past the tissues and organs on its way back to the abdomen. This system circulates nutrients throughout the body and carries metabolic wastes to be excreted into the gut. Other functions of the haemolymph include wound healing, heat transfer and the provision of hydrostatic pressure, but the circulatory system is not involved in gaseous exchange.[26] Respiration is performed using tracheae, air-filled tubes, which open at the surfaces of the thorax and abdomen through pairs of valved spiracles. Larger insects may need to actively ventilate their bodies by opening some spiracles while others remain closed, using abdominal muscles to expand and contract the body and pump air through the system.[27]

Jumping[edit]

A large grasshopper, such as a locust, can jump about a metre (twenty body lengths) without using its wings; the acceleration peaks at about 20 g.[28] Grasshoppers jump by extending their large back legs and pushing against the substrate (the ground, a twig, a blade of grass or whatever else they are standing on); the reaction force propels them into the air.[29] They jump for several reasons; to escape from a predator, to launch themselves into flight, or simply to move from place to place. For the escape jump in particular there is strong selective pressure to maximize take-off velocity, since this determines the range. This means that the legs must thrust against the ground with both high force and a high velocity of movement. A fundamental property of muscle is that it cannot contract with high force and high velocity at the same time. Grasshoppers overcome this by using a catapult mechanism to amplify the mechanical power produced by their muscles.[30]

The jump is a three-stage process.[31] First, the grasshopper fully flexes the lower part of the leg (tibia) against the upper part (femur) by activating the flexor tibiae muscle (the back legs of the grasshopper in the top photograph are in this preparatory position). Second, there is a period of co-contraction in which force builds up in the large, pennate extensor tibiae muscle, but the tibia is kept flexed by the simultaneous contraction of the flexor tibiae muscle. The extensor muscle is much stronger than the flexor muscle, but the latter is aided by specialisations in the joint that give it a large effective mechanical advantage over the former when the tibia is fully flexed.[32] Co-contraction can last for up to half a second, and during this period the extensor muscle shortens and stores elastic strain energy by distorting stiff cuticular structures in the leg.[33] The extensor muscle contraction is quite slow (almost isometric), which allows it to develop high force (up to 14 N in the desert locust), but because it is slow only low power is needed. The third stage of the jump is the trigger relaxation of the flexor muscle, which releases the tibia from the flexed position. The subsequent rapid tibial extension is driven mainly by the relaxation of the elastic structures, rather than by further shortening of the extensor muscle. In this way the stiff cuticle acts like the elastic of a catapult, or the bow of a bow-and-arrow. Energy is put into the store at low power by slow but strong muscle contraction, and retrieved from the store at high power by rapid relaxation of the mechanical elastic structures.[34][35]

Stridulation

📷 Grasshopper stridulation (0:17)

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Several unidentified grasshoppers stridulating

Problems playing this file? See media help.

Male grasshoppers spend much of the day stridulating, singing more actively under optimal conditions and being more subdued when conditions are adverse; females also stridulate, but their efforts are insignificant when compared to the males. Late-stage male nymphs can sometimes be seen making stridulatory movements, although they lack the equipment to make sounds, demonstrating the importance of this behavioural trait. The songs are a means of communication; the male stridulation seems to express reproductive maturity, the desire for social cohesion and individual well-being. Social cohesion becomes necessary among grasshoppers because of their ability to jump or fly large distances, and the song can serve to limit dispersal and guide others to favourable habitat. The generalised song can vary in phraseology and intensity, and is modified in the presence of a rival male, and changes again to a courtship song when a female is nearby.[36] In male grasshoppers of the family Pneumoridae, the enlarged abdomen amplifies stridulation.[15]

Life cycle]

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Six stages (instars) of development, from newly hatched nymph to fully winged adult

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Romalea microptera grasshoppers: female (larger) is laying eggs, with male in attendance.

In most grasshopper species, conflicts between males over females rarely escalate beyond ritualistic displays. Some exceptions include the chameleon grasshopper (Kosciuscola tristis), where males may fight on top of ovipositing females; engaging in leg grappling, biting, kicking and mounting.[37]

The newly emerged female grasshopper has a preoviposition period of a week or two while she increases in weight and her eggs mature. After mating, the female of most species digs a hole with her ovipositor and lays a batch of eggs in a pod in the ground near food plants, generally in the summer. After laying the eggs, she covers the hole with soil and litter.[16] Some, like the semi-aquatic Cornops aquaticum, deposit the pod directly into plant tissue.[38] The eggs in the pod are glued together with a froth in some species. After a few weeks of development, the eggs of most species in temperate climates go into diapause, and pass the winter in this state. Diapause is broken by a sufficiently low ground temperature, with development resuming as soon as the ground warms above a certain threshold temperature. The embryos in a pod generally all hatch out within a few minutes of each other. They soon shed their membranes and their exoskeletons harden. These first instar nymphs can then jump away from predators.[39]

Grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis: they repeatedly moult, each instar becoming larger and more like an adult, with the wing-buds increasing in size at each stage. The number of instars varies between species but is often six. After the final moult, the wings are inflated and become fully functional. The migratory grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes, spends about 25 to 30 days as a nymph, depending on sex and temperature, and lives for about 51 days as an adult.[39]

Swarming

Main article: Locust

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Millions of plague locusts on the move in Australia

Locusts are the swarming phase of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. Swarming behaviour is a response to overcrowding. Increased tactile stimulation of the hind legs causes an increase in levels of serotonin.[40] This causes the grasshopper to change colour, feed more and breed faster. The transformation of a solitary individual into a swarming one is induced by several contacts per minute over a short period.[41]

Following this transformation, under suitable conditions dense nomadic bands of flightless nymphs known as "hoppers" can occur, producing pheromones which attract the insects to each other. With several generations in a year, the locust population can build up from localised groups into vast accumulations of flying insects known as plagues, devouring all the vegetation they encounter. The largest recorded locust swarm was one formed by the now-extinct Rocky Mountain locust in 1875; the swarm was 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long and 110 miles (180 km) wide,[42] and one estimate puts the number of locusts involved at 3.5 trillion.[43] An adult desert locust can eat about 2 g (0.1 oz) of plant material each day, so the billions of insects in a large swarm can be very destructive, stripping all the foliage from plants in an affected area and consuming stems, flowers, fruits, seeds and bark.[44]

Predators, parasites, and pathogens

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Cottontop tamarin monkey eating a grasshopper

Grasshoppers have a wide range of predators at different stages of their lives; eggs are eaten by bee-flies, ground beetles and blister beetles; hoppers and adults are taken by other insects such as ants, robber flies and sphecid wasps, by spiders, and by many birds and small mammals including dogs and cats.[45]

The eggs and nymphs are under attack by parasitoids including blow flies, flesh flies, and tachinid flies. External parasites of adults and nymphs include mites.[45] Female grasshoppers parasitised by mites produce fewer eggs and thus have fewer offspring than unaffected individuals.[46]

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Grasshopper with parasitic mites

The grasshopper nematode (Mermis nigrescens) is a long slender worm that infects grasshoppers, living in the insect's hemocoel. Adult worms lay eggs on plants and the host becomes infected when the foliage is eaten.[47] Spinochordodes tellinii and Paragordius tricuspidatus are parasitic worms that infect grasshoppers and alter the behaviour of their hosts. When the worms are sufficiently developed, the grasshopper is persuaded to leap into a nearby body of water where it drowns, thus enabling the parasite to continue with the next stage of its life cycle, which takes place in water.[48][49]

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Locusts killed by the naturally occurring fungus Metarhizium, an environmentally friendly means of biological control. CSIRO, 2005[50]

Grasshoppers are affected by diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. The bacteria Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have both been implicated in causing disease in grasshoppers, as has the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. This widespread fungus has been used to control various pest insects around the world, but although it infects grasshoppers, the infection is not usually lethal because basking in the sun has the result of raising the insect's temperature above a threshold tolerated by the fungus.[51] The fungal pathogen Entomophaga grylli is able to influence the behaviour of its grasshopper host, causing it to climb to the top of a plant and cling to the stem as it dies. This ensures wide dispersal of the fungal spores liberated from the corpse.[52]

The fungal pathogen Metarhizium acridum is found in Africa, Australia and Brazil where it has caused epizootics in grasshoppers. It is being investigated for possible use as a microbial insecticide for locust control.[51] The microsporidian fungus Nosema locustae, once considered to be a protozoan, can be lethal to grasshoppers. It has to be consumed by mouth and is the basis for a bait-based commercial microbial pesticide. Various other microsporidians and protozoans are found in the gut.[51]

Anti-predator defences

Further information: Anti-predator adaptation

Grasshoppers exemplify a range of anti-predator adaptations, enabling them to avoid detection, to escape if detected, and in some cases to avoid being eaten if captured. Grasshoppers are often camouflaged to avoid detection by predators that hunt by sight; some species can change their coloration to suit their surroundings.[53]

Several species such as the hooded leaf grasshopper Phyllochoreia ramakrishnai (Eumastacoidea) are detailed mimics of leaves. Stick grasshoppers (Proscopiidae) mimic wooden sticks in form and coloration.[54] Grasshoppers often have deimatic patterns on their wings, giving a sudden flash of bright colours that may startle predators long enough to give time to escape in a combination of jump and flight.[55]

Some species are genuinely aposematic, having both bright warning coloration and sufficient toxicity to dissuade predators. Dictyophorus productus (Pyrgomorphidae) is a "heavy, bloated, sluggish insect" that makes no attempt to hide; it has a bright red abdomen. A Cercopithecus monkey that ate other grasshoppers refused to eat the species.[56] Another species, the rainbow or painted grasshopper of Arizona, Dactylotum bicolor (Acridoidea), has been shown by experiment with a natural predator, the little striped whiptail lizard, to be aposematic.[57]

• 📷Gaudy grasshopper, Atractomorpha lata, evades predators with camouflage.
• 📷Lubber grasshopper, Titanacris albipes, has deimatically coloured wings, used to startle predators.
• 📷Leaf grasshopper, Phyllochoreia ramakrishnai, mimics a green leaf.
• 📷Painted grasshopper, Dactylotum bicolor, deters predators with warning coloration.
• 📷Spotted grasshopper, Aularches miliaris, defends itself with toxic foam and warning colours.[58]

Relationship with humans

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Detail of grasshopper on table in Rachel Ruysch's painting Flowers in a Vase, c. 1685. National Gallery, London

In art and media

Grasshoppers are occasionally depicted in artworks, such as the Dutch Golden Age painter Balthasar van der Ast's still life oil painting, Flowers in a Vase with Shells and Insects, c. 1630, now in the National Gallery, London, though the insect may be a bush-cricket.[59]

Another orthopteran is found in Rachel Ruysch's still life Flowers in a Vase, c. 1685. The seemingly static scene is animated by a "grasshopper on the table that looks about ready to spring", according to the gallery curator Betsy Wieseman, with other invertebrates including a spider, an ant, and two caterpillars.[60][61]

Grasshoppers are also featured in cinema. The 1957 film Beginning of the End portrayed giant grasshoppers attacking Chicago.[62] In the 1998 Disney/Pixar animated film A Bug's Life, the antagonists are a gang of grasshoppers, with their leader Hopper serving as the main villain.[63]

Symbolism]

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Sir Thomas Gresham's gilded grasshopper symbol, Lombard Street, London, 1563

Grasshoppers are sometimes used as symbols.[64] During the Greek Archaic Era, the grasshopper was the symbol of the polis of Athens,[65] possibly because they were among the most common insects on the dry plains of Attica.[65] Native Athenians for a while wore golden grasshopper brooches to symbolise that they were of pure Athenian lineage with no foreign ancestors.[65] Another symbolic use of the grasshopper is Sir Thomas Gresham's gilded grasshopper in Lombard Street, London, dating from 1563;[a] the building was for a while the headquarters of the Guardian Royal Exchange, but the company declined to use the symbol for fear of confusion with the locust.[66]

When grasshoppers appear in dreams, these have been interpreted as symbols of "Freedom, independence, spiritual enlightenment, inability to settle down or commit to decision". Locusts are taken literally to mean devastation of crops in the case of farmers; figuratively as "wicked men and women" for non-farmers; and "Extravagance, misfortune, & ephemeral happiness" by "gypsies".[67]

As food[edit]

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Fried grasshoppers from Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Sweet-and-salty grasshoppers dish in Japan (Inago no Tsukudani)

In some countries, grasshoppers are used as food.[68] In southern Mexico, grasshoppers, known as chapulines, are eaten in a variety of dishes, such as in tortillas with chilli sauce.[69] Grasshoppers are served on skewers in some Chinese food markets, like the Donghuamen Night Market.[70] Fried grasshoppers (walang goreng) are eaten in the Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Java in Indonesia.[71] Grasshoppers are a beloved delicacy in Uganda; they are usually eaten fried (most commonly in November and May after the rains).[72] In America, the Ohlone burned grassland to herd grasshoppers into pits where they could be collected as food.[73]

It is recorded in the Bible that John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey (Greek: ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον, akrídes kaì méli ágrion) while living in the wilderness.[74] However, because of a tradition of depicting him as an ascetic, attempts have been made to explain that the locusts were in fact a suitably ascetic vegetarian food such as carob beans, notwithstanding the fact that the word ἀκρίδες means plainly grasshoppers.[75][76]

In recent years, with the search for alternative healthy and sustainable protein sources, grasshoppers are being cultivated by commercial companies operating grasshopper farms and are being used as food and protein supplements.

As pests[edit]

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Crop pest: grasshopper eating a maize leaf

Grasshoppers eat large quantities of foliage both as adults and during their development, and can be serious pests of arid land and prairies. Pasture, grain, forage, vegetable and other crops can be affected. Grasshoppers often bask in the sun, and thrive in warm sunny conditions, so drought stimulates an increase in grasshopper populations. A single season of drought is not normally sufficient to stimulate a major population increase, but several successive dry seasons can do so, especially if the intervening winters are mild so that large numbers of nymphs survive. Although sunny weather stimulates growth, there needs to be an adequate food supply for the increasing grasshopper population. This means that although precipitation is needed to stimulate plant growth, prolonged periods of cloudy weather will slow nymphal development.[77]

Grasshoppers can best be prevented from becoming pests by manipulating their environment. Shade provided by trees will discourage them and they may be prevented from moving onto developing crops by removing coarse vegetation from fallow land and field margins and discouraging thick growth beside ditches and on roadside verges. With increasing numbers of grasshoppers, predator numbers may increase, but this seldom happens rapidly enough to have much effect on populations. Biological control is being investigated, and spores of the protozoan parasite Nosema locustae can be used mixed with bait to control grasshoppers, being more effective with immature insects.[78] On a small scale, neem products can be effective as a feeding deterrent and as a disruptor of nymphal development. Insecticides can be used, but adult grasshoppers are difficult to kill, and as they move into fields from surrounding rank growth, crops may soon become reinfested.[77]

Some grasshopper species, like the Chinese rice grasshopper, are a pest in rice paddies. Ploughing exposes the eggs on the surface of the field, to be destroyed by sunshine or eaten by natural enemies. Some eggs may be buried too deeply in the soil for hatching to take place.[79]

Locust plagues can have devastating effects on human populations, causing famines and population upheavals. They are mentioned in both the Koran and the Bible and have also been held responsible for cholera epidemics, resulting from the corpses of locusts drowned in the Mediterranean Sea and decomposing on beaches.[44] The FAO and other organisations monitor locust activity around the world. Timely application of pesticides can prevent nomadic bands of hoppers from forming before dense swarms of adults can build up.[80] Besides conventional control using contact insecticides,[80] biological pest control using the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum, which specifically infects grasshoppers, has been used with some success.[81]

Detection of explosives[edit]

In February 2020, researchers from Washington University in St. Louis announced they had engineered "cyborg grasshoppers" capable of accurately detecting explosives. In the project, funded by the US Office of Naval Research, researchers fitted grasshoppers with lightweight sensor backpacks that recorded and transmitted the electrical activity of their antennal lobes to a computer. According to the researchers, the grasshoppers were able to detect the location of the highest concentration of explosives. The researchers also tested the effect of combining sensorial information from several grasshoppers on detection accuracy. The neural activity from seven grasshoppers yielded an average detection accuracy rate of 80%, whereas a single grasshopper yielded a 60% rate.[82][83]

In literature[edit]

📷

Egyptian hieroglyphs "snḥm"

The Egyptian word for locust or grasshopper was written snḥm in the consonantal hieroglyphic writing system. The pharaoh Ramesses II compared the armies of the Hittites to locusts: "They covered the mountains and valleys and were like locusts in their multitude."[84]

One of Aesop's Fables, later retold by La Fontaine, is the tale of The Ant and the Grasshopper. The ant works hard all summer, while the grasshopper plays. In winter, the ant is ready but the grasshopper starves. Somerset Maugham's short story "The Ant and the Grasshopper" explores the fable's symbolism via complex framing.[85] Other human weaknesses besides improvidence have become identified with the grasshopper's behaviour.[67] So an unfaithful woman (hopping from man to man) is "a grasshopper" in "Poprygunya", an 1892 short story by Anton Chekhov,[86] and in Jerry Paris's 1969 film The Grasshopper.[87][88]

In mechanical engineering[edit]

📷

A grasshopper beam engine, 1847

The name "Grasshopper" was given to the Aeronca L-3 and Piper L-4 light aircraft, both used for reconnaissance and other support duties in World War II. The name is said to have originated when Major General Innis P. Swift saw a Piper making a rough landing and remarked that it looked like a grasshopper for its bouncing progress.[88][89][90]

Grasshopper beam engines were beam engines pivoted at one end, the long horizontal arm resembling the hind leg of a grasshopper. The type was patented by William Freemantle in 1803.[91][92][93]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper

The English spellings have been edited to American usages.

The best scientific research article with a fair number of references is in the Wikipedia. There is a picture of a green Gaudy grasshopper which looks a lot like the grasshopper on the cauliflower head. But it is difficult to know for certain because both of these green grasshoppers are able to camouflage themselves to keep them from becoming a predator's meal!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper

Grasshopper

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Grasshoppers

Temporal range: 252 Ma–Recent

📷American grasshopper (Schistocerca americana) Scientific classification📷Kingdom: Animalia Phylum :Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Orthoptera Suborder: CaeliferaInfra order: AcridideaInformal group: Acridomorpha Dirsh, 1966 Superfamilies

• Acridoidea
• Eumastacoidea
• Pneumoroidea
• Proscopioidea
• Pyrgomorphoidea
• Tanaoceroidea
• Trigonopterygoidea

Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is probably the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago.

Grasshoppers are typically ground-dwelling insects with powerful hind legs which allow them to escape from threats by leaping vigorously. As hemimetabolous insects, they do not undergo complete metamorphosis; they hatch from an egg into a nymph or "hopper" which undergoes five moults, becoming more similar to the adult insect at each developmental stage. [1]The grasshopper hears through the tympanal organ which can be found in the first segment of the abdomen attached to the thorax; while its sense of vision is in the compound eyes, the change in light intensity is perceived in the simple eyes (ocelli). At high population densities and under certain environmental conditions, some grasshopper species can change color and behavior and form swarms. Under these circumstances, they are known as locusts.

Grasshoppers are plant-eaters, with a few species at times becoming serious pests of cereals, vegetables and pasture, especially when they swarm in their millions as locusts and destroy crops over wide areas. They protect themselves from predators by camouflage; when detected, many species attempt to startle the predator with a brilliantly-coloured wing-flash while jumping and (if adult) launching themselves into the air, usually flying for only a short distance. Other species such as the rainbow grasshopper have warning coloration which deters predators. Grasshoppers are affected by parasites and various diseases, and many predatory creatures feed on both nymphs and adults. The eggs are subject to attack by parasitoids and predators.

Grasshoppers have had a long relationship with humans. Swarms of locusts can have devastating effects and cause famine, having done so since Biblical times.[2] Even in smaller numbers, the insects can be serious pests. They are used as food in countries such as Mexico and Indonesia. They feature in art, symbolism and literature. The study of grasshopper species is called acridology.

Contents

• 1Phylogeny
• 2Characteristics
• 3Biology3.1Diet and digestion 3.2Sensory organs 3.3Circulation and respiration 3.4Jumping 3.5Stridulation 3.6Life cycle 3.7Swarming
• 4Predators, parasites, and pathogens4.1Anti-predator defences
• 5Relationship with humans5.1In art and media 5.2Symbolism 5.3As food 5.4As pests 5.5Detection of explosives 5.6In literature 5.7In mechanical engineering
• 6Notes
• 7References
• 8Sources
• 9External links

Phylogeny[edit]

Grasshoppers belong to the suborder Caelifera. Although "grasshopper" is sometimes used as a common name for the suborder in general,[3][4][5] some sources restrict it to the more "advanced" groups.[6] They may be placed in the infraorder Acrididea[7] and have been referred-to as "short-horned grasshoppers" in older texts[8] to distinguish them from the also-obsolete term "long-horned grasshoppers" (now bush-crickets or katydids) with their much longer antennae. The phylogeny of the Caelifera, based on mitochondrial ribosomal RNA of thirty-two taxa in six out of seven superfamilies, is shown as a cladogram. The Ensifera (crickets, etc.), Caelifera and all the superfamilies of grasshoppers except Pamphagoidea appear to be monophyletic.[9][10]

OrthopteraEnsifera (crickets, katydids, etc.)

[6 superfamilies] 📷

Caelifera

Tridactyloidea 📷

Tetrigoidea 📷

Eumastacidae 📷

Proscopiidae 📷

Pneumoridae 📷

Pyrgomorphidae 📷

Acrididae + Pamphagidae 📷

📷

Fossil grasshoppers at the Royal Ontario Museum

In evolutionary terms, the split between the Caelifera and the Ensifera is no more recent than the Permo-Triassic boundary;[11] the earliest insects that are certainly Caeliferans are in the extinct families Locustopseidae and Locustavidae from the early Triassic, roughly 250 million years ago. The group diversified during the Triassic and have remained important plant-eaters from that time to now. The first modern families such as the Eumastacidae, Tetrigidae and Tridactylidae appeared in the Cretaceous, though some insects that might belong to the last two of these groups are found in the early Jurassic.[12][13] Morphological classification is difficult because many taxa have converged towards a common habitat type; recent taxonomists have concentrated on the internal genitalia, especially those of the male. This information is not available from fossil specimens, and the palaentological taxonomy is founded principally on the venation of the hindwings.[14]

The Caelifera includes some 2,400 valid genera and about 11,000 known species. Many undescribed species probably exist, especially in tropical wet forests. The Caelifera have a predominantly tropical distribution with fewer species known from temperate zones, but most of the superfamilies have representatives worldwide. They are almost exclusively herbivorous and are probably the oldest living group of chewing herbivorous insects.[14]

The most diverse superfamily is the Acridoidea, with around 8,000 species. The two main families in this are the Acrididae (grasshoppers and locusts) with a worldwide distribution, and the Romaleidae (lubber grasshoppers), found chiefly in the New World. The Ommexechidae and Tristiridae are South American, and the Lentulidae, Lithidiidae and Pamphagidae are mainly African. The Pauliniids are nocturnal and can swim or skate on water, and the Lentulids are wingless.[12] Pneumoridae are native to Africa, particularly southern Africa, and are distinguished by the inflated abdomens of the males.[15]

Characteristics[edit]

Grasshoppers have the typical insect body plan of head, thorax and abdomen. The head is held vertically at an angle to the body, with the mouth at the bottom. The head bears a large pair of compound eyes which give all-round vision, three simple eyes which can detect light and dark, and a pair of thread-like antennae that are sensitive to touch and smell. The downward-directed mouthparts are modified for chewing and there are two sensory palps in front of the jaws.[16]

The thorax and abdomen are segmented and have a rigid cuticle made up of overlapping plates composed of chitin. The three fused thoracic segments bear three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings. The forewings, known as tegmina, are narrow and leathery while the hindwings are large and membranous, the veins providing strength. The legs are terminated by claws for gripping. The hind leg is particularly powerful; the femur is robust and has several ridges where different surfaces join and the inner ridges bear stridulatory pegs in some species. The posterior edge of the tibia bears a double row of spines and there are a pair of articulated spurs near its lower end. The interior of the thorax houses the muscles that control the wings and legs.[16]

📷

Ensifera, like this great green bush-cricket Tettigonia viridissima, somewhat resemble grasshoppers but have over 20 segments in their antennae and different ovipositors.

The abdomen has eleven segments, the first of which is fused to the thorax and contains the tympanal organ and hearing system. Segments two to eight are ring-shaped and joined by flexible membranes. Segments nine to eleven are reduced in size; segment nine bears a pair of cerci and segments ten and eleven have the reproductive organs. Female grasshoppers are normally larger than males, with short ovipositors.[16] The name of the suborder "Caelifera" comes from the Latin and means chisel-bearing, referring to the shape of the ovipositor.[17]

Those species that make easily heard noises usually do so by rubbing a row of pegs on the hind legs against the edges of the forewings (stridulation). These sounds are produced mainly by males to attract females, though in some species the females also stridulate.[18]

Grasshoppers may be confused with crickets, but they differ in many aspects; these include the number of segments in their antennae and the structure of the ovipositor, as well as the location of the tympanal organ and the methods by which sound is produced.[19] Ensiferans have antennae that can be much longer than the body and have at least 20–24 segments, while caeliferans have fewer segments in their shorter, stouter antennae.[18]

Biology[edit]

Diet and digestion[edit]

📷

Structure of mouthparts

Further information: Digestive system of insects

Most grasshoppers are polyphagous, eating vegetation from multiple plant sources,[20] but some are omnivorous and also eat animal tissue and animal feces. In general their preference is for grasses, including many cereals grown as crops.[21] The digestive system is typical of insects, with Malpighian tubules discharging into the midgut. Carbohydrates are digested mainly in the crop, while proteins are digested in the ceca of the midgut. Saliva is abundant but largely free of enzymes, helping to move food and Malpighian secretions along the gut. Some grasshoppers possess cellulase, which by softening plant cell walls makes plant cell contents accessible to other digestive enzymes.[22]

Sensory organs

📷

Frontal view of Egyptian locust (Anacridium aegyptium) showing the compound eyes, tiny ocelli and numerous setae

Grasshoppers have a typical insect nervous system, and have an extensive set of external sense organs. On the side of the head are a pair of large compound eyes which give a broad field of vision and can detect movement, shape, color and distance. There are also three simple eyes (ocelli) on the forehead which can detect light intensity, a pair of antennae containing olfactory (smell) and touch receptors, and mouthparts containing gustatory (taste) receptors.[23] At the front end of the abdomen there is a pair of tympanal organs for sound reception. There are numerous fine hairs (setae) covering the whole body that act as mechanoreceptors (touch and wind sensors), and these are most dense on the antennae, the palps (part of the mouth), and on the cerci at the tip of the abdomen.[24] There are special receptors (campaniform sensilla) embedded in the cuticle of the legs that sense pressure and cuticle distortion.[25] There are internal "chordotonal" sense organs specialized to detect position and movement about the joints of the exoskeleton. The receptors convey information to the central nervous system through sensory neurons, and most of these have their cell bodies located in the periphery near the receptor site itself.[24]

Circulation and respiration[edit]

Further information: Insect morphology § Circulatory system, and Respiratory system of insects

Like other insects, grasshoppers have an open circulatory system and their body cavities are filled with hemolymph. A heart-like structure in the upper part of the abdomen pumps the fluid to the head from where it percolates past the tissues and organs on its way back to the abdomen. This system circulates nutrients throughout the body and carries metabolic wastes to be excreted into the gut. Other functions of the hemolymph include wound healing, heat transfer and the provision of hydrostatic pressure, but the circulatory system is not involved in gaseous exchange.[26] Respiration is performed using tracheae, air-filled tubes, which open at the surfaces of the thorax and abdomen through pairs of valve spiracles. Larger insects may need to actively ventilate their bodies by opening some spiracles while others remain closed, using abdominal muscles to expand and contract the body and pump air through the system.[27]

Jumping[edit]

A large grasshopper, such as a locust, can jump about a meter (twenty body lengths) without using its wings; the acceleration peaks at about 20 g.[28] Grasshoppers jump by extending their large back legs and pushing against the substrate (the ground, a twig, a blade of grass or whatever else they are standing on); the reaction force propels them into the air.[29] They jump for several reasons; to escape from a predator, to launch themselves into flight, or simply to move from place to place. For the escape jump in particular there is strong selective pressure to maximize take-off velocity, since this determines the range. This means that the legs must thrust against the ground with both high force and a high velocity of movement. A fundamental property of muscle is that it cannot contract with high force and high velocity at the same time. Grasshoppers overcome this by using a catapult mechanism to amplify the mechanical power produced by their muscles.[30]

The jump is a three-stage process.[31] First, the grasshopper fully flexes the lower part of the leg (tibia) against the upper part (femur) by activating the flexor tibiae muscle (the back legs of the grasshopper in the top photograph are in this preparatory position). Second, there is a period of co-contraction in which force builds up in the large, pennate extensor tibiae muscle, but the tibia is kept flexed by the simultaneous contraction of the flexor tibiae muscle. The extensor muscle is much stronger than the flexor muscle, but the latter is aided by specializations in the joint that give it a large effective mechanical advantage over the former when the tibia is fully flexed.[32] Co-contraction can last for up to half a second, and during this period the extensor muscle shortens and stores elastic strain energy by distorting stiff cuticular structures in the leg.[33] The extensor muscle contraction is quite slow (almost isometric), which allows it to develop high force (up to 14 N in the desert locust), but because it is slow only low power is needed. The third stage of the jump is the trigger relaxation of the flexor muscle, which releases the tibia from the flexed position. The subsequent rapid tibial extension is driven mainly by the relaxation of the elastic structures, rather than by further shortening of the extensor muscle. In this way the stiff cuticle acts like the elastic of a catapult, or the bow of a bow-and-arrow. Energy is put into the store at low power by slow but strong muscle contraction, and retrieved from the store at high power by rapid relaxation of the mechanical elastic structures.[34][35]

Stridulation

📷 Grasshopper stridulation (0:17)

📷MENU / 0:00

Several unidentified grasshoppers stridulating

Problems playing this file? See media help.

Male grasshoppers spend much of the day stridulating, singing more actively under optimal conditions and being more subdued when conditions are adverse; females also stridulate, but their efforts are insignificant when compared to the males. Late-stage male nymphs can sometimes be seen making stridulatory movements, although they lack the equipment to make sounds, demonstrating the importance of this behavioral trait. The songs are a means of communication; the male stridulation seems to express reproductive maturity, the desire for social cohesion and individual well-being. Social cohesion becomes necessary among grasshoppers because of their ability to jump or fly large distances, and the song can serve to limit dispersal and guide others to favorable habitat. The generalized song can vary in phraseology and intensity, and is modified in the presence of a rival male, and changes again to a courtship song when a female is nearby.[36] In male grasshoppers of the family Pneumoridae, the enlarged abdomen amplifies stridulation.[15]

Life cycle]

📷Six stages (instars) of development, from newly hatched nymph to fully winged adult

📷Romalea microptera grasshoppers: female (larger) is laying eggs, with male in attendance.

In most grasshopper species, conflicts between males over females rarely escalate beyond ritualistic displays. Some exceptions include the chameleon grasshopper (Kosciuscola tristis), where males may fight on top of ovipositing females; engaging in leg grappling, biting, kicking and mounting.[37]

The newly emerged female grasshopper has a preoviposition period of a week or two while she increases in weight and her eggs mature. After mating, the female of most species digs a hole with her ovipositor and lays a batch of eggs in a pod in the ground near food plants, generally in the summer. After laying the eggs, she covers the hole with soil and litter.[16] Some, like the semi-aquatic Cornops aquaticum, deposit the pod directly into plant tissue.[38] The eggs in the pod are glued together with a froth in some species. After a few weeks of development, the eggs of most species in temperate climates go into diapause, and pass the winter in this state. Diapause is broken by a sufficiently low ground temperature, with development resuming as soon as the ground warms above a certain threshold temperature. The embryos in a pod generally all hatch out within a few minutes of each other. They soon shed their membranes and their exoskeletons harden. These first instar nymphs can then jump away from predators.[39]

Grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis: they repeatedly moult, each instar becoming larger and more like an adult, with the wing-buds increasing in size at each stage. The number of instars varies between species but is often six. After the final moult, the wings are inflated and become fully functional. The migratory grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes, spends about 25 to 30 days as a nymph, depending on sex and temperature, and lives for about 51 days as an adult.[39]

Swarming

Main article: Locust

📷Millions of plague locusts on the move in Australia

Locusts are the swarming phase of certain species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. Swarming behavior is a response to overcrowding. Increased tactile stimulation of the hind legs causes an increase in levels of serotonin.[40] This causes the grasshopper to change color, feed more and breed faster. The transformation of a solitary individual into a swarming one is induced by several contacts per minute over a short period.[41]

Following this transformation, under suitable conditions dense nomadic bands of flightless nymphs known as "hoppers" can occur, producing pheromones which attract the insects to each other. With several generations in a year, the locust population can build up from localized groups into vast accumulations of flying insects known as plagues, devouring all the vegetation they encounter. The largest recorded locust swarm was one formed by the now-extinct Rocky Mountain locust in 1875; the swarm was 1,800 miles (2,900 km) long and 110 miles (180 km) wide,[42] and one estimate puts the number of locusts involved at 3.5 trillion.[43] An adult desert locust can eat about 2 g (0.1 oz) of plant material each day, so the billions of insects in a large swarm can be very destructive, stripping all the foliage from plants in an affected area and consuming stems, flowers, fruits, seeds and bark.[44]

Predators, parasites, and pathogens

📷Cottontop tamarin monkey eating a grasshopper

Grasshoppers have a wide range of predators at different stages of their lives; eggs are eaten by bee-flies, ground beetles and blister beetles; hoppers and adults are taken by other insects such as ants, robber flies and sphecid wasps, by spiders, and by many birds and small mammals including dogs and cats.[45]

The eggs and nymphs are under attack by parasitoids including blow flies, flesh flies, and tachinid flies. External parasites of adults and nymphs include mites.[45] Female grasshoppers parasitized by mites produce fewer eggs and thus have fewer offspring than unaffected individuals.[46]

📷Grasshopper with parasitic mites

The grasshopper nematode (Mermis nigrescens) is a long slender worm that infects grasshoppers, living in the insect's hemocoel. Adult worms lay eggs on plants and the host becomes infected when the foliage is eaten.[47] Spinochordodes tellinii and Paragordius tricuspidatus are parasitic worms that infect grasshoppers and alter the behavior of their hosts. When the worms are sufficiently developed, the grasshopper is persuaded to leap into a nearby body of water where it drowns, thus enabling the parasite to continue with the next stage of its life cycle, which takes place in water.[48][49]

📷Locusts killed by the naturally occurring fungus Metarhizium, an environmentally friendly means of biological control. CSIRO, 2005[50]

Grasshoppers are affected by diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. The bacteria Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have both been implicated in causing disease in grasshoppers, as has the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. This widespread fungus has been used to control various pest insects around the world, but although it infects grasshoppers, the infection is not usually lethal because basking in the sun has the result of raising the insect's temperature above a threshold tolerated by the fungus.[51] The fungal pathogen Entomophaga grylli is able to influence the behavior of its grasshopper host, causing it to climb to the top of a plant and cling to the stem as it dies. This ensures wide dispersal of the fungal spores liberated from the corpse.[52]

The fungal pathogen Metarhizium acridum is found in Africa, Australia and Brazil where it has caused epizootics in grasshoppers. It is being investigated for possible use as a microbial insecticide for locust control.[51] The microsporidian fungus Nosema locustae, once considered to be a protozoan, can be lethal to grasshoppers. It has to be consumed by mouth and is the basis for a bait-based commercial microbial pesticide. Various other microsporidians and protozoans are found in the gut.[51]

Anti-predator defenses

Further information: Anti-predator adaptation

Grasshoppers exemplify a range of anti-predator adaptations, enabling them to avoid detection, to escape if detected, and in some cases to avoid being eaten if captured. Grasshoppers are often camouflaged to avoid detection by predators that hunt by sight; some species can change their coloration to suit their surroundings.[53]

Several species such as the hooded leaf grasshopper Phyllochoreia ramakrishnai (Eumastacoidea) are detailed mimics of leaves. Stick grasshoppers (Proscopiidae) mimic wooden sticks in form and coloration.[54] Grasshoppers often have deimatic patterns on their wings, giving a sudden flash of bright colours that may startle predators long enough to give time to escape in a combination of jump and flight.[55]

Some species are genuinely aposematic, having both bright warning coloration and sufficient toxicity to dissuade predators. Dictyophorus productus (Pyrgomorphidae) is a "heavy, bloated, sluggish insect" that makes no attempt to hide; it has a bright red abdomen. A Cercopithecus monkey that ate other grasshoppers refused to eat the species.[56] Another species, the rainbow or painted grasshopper of Arizona, Dactylotum bicolor (Acridoidea), has been shown by experiment with a natural predator, the little striped whiptail lizard, to be aposematic.[57]

• 📷Gaudy grasshopper, Atractomorpha lata, evades predators with camouflage.
• 📷Lubber grasshopper, Titanacris albipes, has deimatically coloured wings, used to startle predators.
• 📷Leaf grasshopper, Phyllochoreia ramakrishnai, mimics a green leaf.
• 📷Painted grasshopper, Dactylotum bicolor, deters predators with warning coloration.
• 📷Spotted grasshopper, Aularches miliaris, defends itself with toxic foam and warning colours.[58]

Relationship with humans

📷Detail of grasshopper on table in Rachel Ruysch's painting Flowers in a Vase, c. 1685. National Gallery, London

In art and media

Grasshoppers are occasionally depicted in artworks, such as the Dutch Golden Age painter Balthasar van der Ast's still life oil painting, Flowers in a Vase with Shells and Insects, c. 1630, now in the National Gallery, London, though the insect may be a bush-cricket.[59]

Another orthopteran is found in Rachel Ruysch's still life Flowers in a Vase, c. 1685. The seemingly static scene is animated by a "grasshopper on the table that looks about ready to spring", according to the gallery curator Betsy Wieseman, with other invertebrates including a spider, an ant, and two caterpillars.[60][61]

Grasshoppers are also featured in cinema. The 1957 film Beginning of the End portrayed giant grasshoppers attacking Chicago.[62] In the 1998 Disney/Pixar animated film A Bug's Life, the antagonists are a gang of grasshoppers, with their leader Hopper serving as the main villain.[63]

Symbolism]

📷Sir Thomas Gresham's gilded grasshopper symbol, Lombard Street, London, 1563

Grasshoppers are sometimes used as symbols.[64] During the Greek Archaic Era, the grasshopper was the symbol of the polis of Athens,[65] possibly because they were among the most common insects on the dry plains of Attica.[65] Native Athenians for a while wore golden grasshopper brooches to symbolize that they were of pure Athenian lineage with no foreign ancestors.[65] Another symbolic use of the grasshopper is Sir Thomas Gresham's gilded grasshopper in Lombard Street, London, dating from 1563;[a] the building was for a while the headquarters of the Guardian Royal Exchange, but the company declined to use the symbol for fear of confusion with the locust.[66]

When grasshoppers appear in dreams, these have been interpreted as symbols of "Freedom, independence, spiritual enlightenment, inability to settle down or commit to decision". Locusts are taken literally to mean devastation of crops in the case of farmers; figuratively as "wicked men and women" for non-farmers; and "Extravagance, misfortune, & ephemeral happiness" by "gypsies".[67]

As food[edit]

📷Fried grasshoppers from Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

📷Sweet-and-salty grasshoppers dish in Japan (Inago no Tsukudani)

In some countries, grasshoppers are used as food.[68] In southern Mexico, grasshoppers, known as chapulines, are eaten in a variety of dishes, such as in tortillas with chilli sauce.[69] Grasshoppers are served on skewers in some Chinese food markets, like the Donghuamen Night Market.[70] Fried grasshoppers (walang goreng) are eaten in the Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta, Java in Indonesia.[71] Grasshoppers are a beloved delicacy in Uganda; they are usually eaten fried (most commonly in November and May after the rains).[72] In America, the Ohlone burned grassland to herd grasshoppers into pits where they could be collected as food.[73]

It is recorded in the Bible that John the Baptist ate locusts and wild honey (Greek: ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον, akrídes kaì méli ágrion) while living in the wilderness.[74] However, because of a tradition of depicting him as an ascetic, attempts have been made to explain that the locusts were in fact a suitably ascetic vegetarian food such as carob beans, notwithstanding the fact that the word ἀκρίδες means plainly grasshoppers.[75][76]

In recent years, with the search for alternative healthy and sustainable protein sources, grasshoppers are being cultivated by commercial companies operating grasshopper farms and are being used as food and protein supplements.

As pests[edit]

📷Crop pest: grasshopper eating a maize leaf

Grasshoppers eat large quantities of foliage both as adults and during their development, and can be serious pests of arid land and prairies. Pasture, grain, forage, vegetable and other crops can be affected. Grasshoppers often bask in the sun, and thrive in warm sunny conditions, so drought stimulates an increase in grasshopper populations. A single season of drought is not normally sufficient to stimulate a major population increase, but several successive dry seasons can do so, especially if the intervening winters are mild so that large numbers of nymphs survive. Although sunny weather stimulates growth, there needs to be an adequate food supply for the increasing grasshopper population. This means that although precipitation is needed to stimulate plant growth, prolonged periods of cloudy weather will slow nymph development.[77]

Grasshoppers can best be prevented from becoming pests by manipulating their environment. Shade provided by trees will discourage them and they may be prevented from moving onto developing crops by removing coarse vegetation from fallow land and field margins and discouraging thick growth beside ditches and on roadside verges. With increasing numbers of grasshoppers, predator numbers may increase, but this seldom happens rapidly enough to have much effect on populations. Biological control is being investigated, and spores of the protozoan parasite Nosema locustae can be used mixed with bait to control grasshoppers, being more effective with immature insects.[78] On a small scale, neem products can be effective as a feeding deterrent and as a disruptor of nymph development. Insecticides can be used, but adult grasshoppers are difficult to kill, and as they move into fields from surrounding rank growth, crops may soon become re-infested.[77]

Some grasshopper species, like the Chinese rice grasshopper, are a pest in rice paddies. Ploughing exposes the eggs on the surface of the field, to be destroyed by sunshine or eaten by natural enemies. Some eggs may be buried too deeply in the soil for hatching to take place.[79]

Locust plagues can have devastating effects on human populations, causing famines and population upheavals. They are mentioned in both the Koran and the Bible and have also been held responsible for cholera epidemics, resulting from the corpses of locusts drowned in the Mediterranean Sea and decomposing on beaches.[44] The FAO and other organizations monitor locust activity around the world. Timely application of pesticides can prevent nomadic bands of hoppers from forming before dense swarms of adults can build up.[80] Besides conventional control using contact insecticides,[80] biological pest control using the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium acridum, which specifically infects grasshoppers, has been used with some success.[81]

Detection of explosives[edit]

In February 2020, researchers from Washington University in St. Louis announced they had engineered "cyborg grasshoppers" capable of accurately detecting explosives. In the project, funded by the US Office of Naval Research, researchers fitted grasshoppers with lightweight sensor backpacks that recorded and transmitted the electrical activity of their antennal lobes to a computer. According to the researchers, the grasshoppers were able to detect the location of the highest concentration of explosives. The researchers also tested the effect of combining sensorial information from several grasshoppers on detection accuracy. The neural activity from seven grasshoppers yielded an average detection accuracy rate of 80%, whereas a single grasshopper yielded a 60% rate.[82][83]

In literature[edit]

📷Egyptian hieroglyphs "snḥm"

The Egyptian word for locust or grasshopper was written snḥm in the consonantal hieroglyphic writing system. The pharaoh Ramesses II compared the armies of the Hittites to locusts: "They covered the mountains and valleys and were like locusts in their multitude."[84]

One of Aesop's Fables, later retold by La Fontaine, is the tale of The Ant and the Grasshopper. The ant works hard all summer, while the grasshopper plays. In winter, the ant is ready but the grasshopper starves. Somerset Maugham's short story "The Ant and the Grasshopper" explores the fable's symbolism via complex framing.[85] Other human weaknesses besides improvidence have become identified with the grasshopper's behavior.[67] So an unfaithful woman (hopping from man to man) is "a grasshopper" in "Poprygunya", an 1892 short story by Anton Chekhov,[86] and in Jerry Paris's 1969 film The Grasshopper.[87][88]

In mechanical engineering[edit]

📷A grasshopper beam engine, 1847

The name "Grasshopper" was given to the Aeronca L-3 and Piper L-4 light aircraft, both used for reconnaissance and other support duties in World War II. The name is said to have originated when Major General Innis P. Swift saw a Piper making a rough landing and remarked that it looked like a grasshopper for its bouncing progress.[88][89][90]

Grasshopper beam engines were beam engines pivoted at one end, the long horizontal arm resembling the hind leg of a grasshopper. The type was patented by William Freemantle in 1803.[91][92][93]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grasshopper

Dear Dr Rupinder Singh . I agree with Dr Nancy Ann Watanabe .

Atractomorpha similis also known as Vegetable grasshopper. In the question itself it's mentioned that it doesn't look like Chinese grasshopper so called Acrida cinerea..

I agree with Friederike Susette Eberhard