Wikijunior:Bugs/Grasshopper

What does it look like?

Grasshoppers have their rear legs adapted for jumping. These legs have large muscles in them to propel the grasshopper forwards. Grasshoppers have antennae that are almost always shorter than the body. This lets you tell them apart from their cousins the Crickets and Katydids. Grasshoppers are usually green or brown. This helps to camouflage them among the habitat where they live. Most adult grasshoppers have two pairs of wings. Some grasshoppers have their wings in bright colors. When they jump they show their wings and the sudden bright flash of color may distract predators. They are known for the sound they make by rubbing their wings with their rear legs. Grasshoppers have no ears as we do, rather they hear with an organ called the tympanum in the first segment of their abdomen.

A young grasshopper on a grass stalk.

Where does it live?

Grasshoppers live in all climates except the very cold ones. They live in grassy areas, forests or anywhere there are leaves that they can feed on.

What does it eat?

Grasshoppers are herbivores and eat only plants. Some grasshoppers eat only a certain type of plant. They eat plants like leaves and grasses.

How does it defend itself?

When grasshoppers are picked up they release a brown liquid. Some scientists think that this is done to protect it from other small insects like ants. Grasshoppers are hunted by beetles, mantises, birds, mice, cats, dogs, snakes, and spiders. Grasshoppers try to hide or jump and fly away when they are near their enemies.

What stages of metamorphosis does it go through?

Six stages of development, from newly-hatched nymph to fully-winged adult.

After they leave their eggs, newborn grasshoppers look much like adults. They simply grow bigger — if something doesn't kill it first. They will grow bigger by shedding their old skin as it gets tighter, in a process called moulting. As evidenced by the diagram on the right, grasshoppers have 6 stages, or instars, in its short life. Few young grasshoppers reach adulthood.

How does this bug affect people?

Grasshoppers can destroy entire crops of cotton, corn and other grains. This makes them not well liked by the farmers who are planting these crops. Some grasshoppers can form swarms of many billions. These are the locusts, and a swarm of locusts can devastate

Some people eat them as food; they are very nutritious.