Grasshopper Characteristics

Appearance

• Grasshoppers are brown, green and yellow in coloring, with black patterns and markings. Easily identified by their large hind legs, which they use for jumping, and two pairs of wings, they can fly at up to 8 miles per hour. They have antennae of various lengths. Grasshoppers include short- or long-horned types, as distinguished by the length of their antennae, although the behavior of both types is the same. The female grasshopper can be distinguished by two triangle-shaped valves at the end of her abdomen which she uses for digging in the sand to lay eggs.

Reproduction

• An adult female grasshopper can produce up to 3 egg pods per week throughout its life. Grasshopper eggs are laid just below the surface of the soil in pods of two to 120 eggs. Eggs laid late in the season may remain dormant over the winter. As the temperature warms in springtime, the eggs come out of a dormant phase and begin to hatch. Hatchlings emerge as nymphs, which look similar to adult grasshoppers but lack wings, have shorter antennae and are smaller. A grasshopper may take up to 11 weeks to reach adulthood.

Behavior

• Grasshoppers are herbivores and live just about anywhere that they can find vegetation to eat. They are ectothermic animals, meaning they depend on their environment to stay warm, and will warm themselves in the sun for a few hours in the morning before becoming active. Rain or cool temperatures will drive them to shelter until the weather warms again. Although they are known as voracious eaters, grasshoppers are picky about their food. A grasshopper will sample different foods looking for something that provides the right mix of nutrients. Grasshoppers flutter their wings and make a variety of clicking sounds with their legs to attract potential mates and to establish territory.

Ecosystems

• Although grasshoppers can be a nuisance to farmers, they play an important role in ecosystems. They act as a natural weed control mechanism, eating plants when they are young and before they go to seed. Grasshopper droppings help to fertilize the soil and prepare it for new growth. They also provide a steady and reliable source of food for many small mammals, birds, reptiles and spiders. In some parts of the world, grasshoppers provide an important source of protein for humans as well.