Hobbies And Interests
Songs and Colors
Grasshoppers are famous for the distinctive chirping noise that they make when they rub or flick their lower back legs on their forewings. This shrill, creaking noisemaking is known as stridulation, and every species has its own song. Female grasshoppers have a quieter song than the males, adding yet another level of audio difference. The pressure is on male grasshoppers to impress, whereas females use their music more for identification.
Pheromones
In addition to using sound or color to find and identify mates, male grasshoppers emit pheromones that attract females. Pheromones are external hormones that are made up of volatile chemical compounds and are used by many animals and insects as part of their mating habits. Grasshoppers also use pheromones to mark their territories and for social recognition -- with potential mates as well as with peers and competitors.
Courtship Rituals
Certain grasshopper species have very elaborate courtship rituals. The North American grasshopper will twist itself into 18 different poses with its wings and legs to impress a potential mate. Waving brilliantly colored wings is another way to attract a female. A tiny grasshopper from Costa Rica drums its back legs on its favorite food plant to attract a like-minded mate. Wingless, this little grasshopper uses its coloring and drumming ritual during courtship.
Mating and Reproduction
Actual mating between grasshoppers can last from 45 minutes to well over a day. Some females will mate with several males depending on the species. Mating generally happens in the fall, depending on the species and ecosystem. Most male grasshoppers die immediately after mating, with females surviving long enough to lay their eggs.