10 amazing facts about grasshoppers grasshoppers are extremely common there's more to these
summertime critters than meets the eye here's a list of ten fascinating grasshopper related facts
one grasshoppers and locusts are one in the same when we think of grasshoppers most people recall
pleasant childhood memories of trying to catch the jumping insects in Meadows or backyards say the
word locusts however and it brings to mind images of historic plagues raining down destruction on
crops and devouring every plant in sight truth be told grasshoppers and locusts are members of
the same insect order while certain species are commonly referred to grasshoppers and others as
locusts both creatures are short horned members of the order Orthoptera jumping herbivores with
shorter antennae are grouped into the suborder calif era while they're longer horn brethren
crickets and katydids belonged to the suborder and Safira two grasshoppers have ears on their
bellies the grasshoppers auditory organs are found not on the head but rather on the abdomen
a pair of membranes that vibrate in response to sound waves are located one on either side of
the first abdominal segment tucked under the wings this simple eardrum called a timpani organ allows
the grasshopper to hear the songs of its fellow grasshoppers 3 although grasshoppers can hear
they can't distinguish pitch very well as with most insects the grasshoppers auditory organs
are simple structures they can detect differences in intensity and rhythm but not pitch the male
grasshoppers song isn't particularly melodic which is a good thing since females don't care whether
or not a fellow can carry a tune each species of grasshopper produces a characteristic rhythm that
distinguishes its song from others and enables courting males and females of a given species
to find one another or grasshoppers make music by stridulating orc repetative if you're not familiar
with those terms don't worry it's not all that complicated most grasshoppers streudel 8 which
simply means that they rub their hind legs against their four wings to produce their trademark tunes
special pegs on the inside of the hind leg act like a percussion instrument of sorts when they
come in contact with the thickened edge of the wing the band winged grasshoppers crepitation
out li snapped their wings as they fly five grasshoppers catapult themselves into the
air if you've ever tried to catch a grasshopper you know how far they can jump to flee danger if
humans could jumped away grasshoppers do we would be able to easily leap the length of a football
field how do these insects jump so far it's all in those big back legs a grasshoppers hind legs
function like miniature catapults in preparation for a jump the grasshopper contracts its large
flexor muscles slowly bending its hind legs at the knee joint a special piece of cuticle within
the knee acts as a spring storing up all the potential energy the grasshopper then relaxes
its leg muscles allowing the spring to release its energy and fling the insect into the air
six grasshoppers can fly because grasshoppers have such powerful jumping legs people sometimes don't
realize that they also have wings grasshoppers use their jumping ability to give them a boost
into the air but most are pretty strong fliers and make good use of their wings to escape predators
seven grasshoppers can devastate food crops one lone grasshopper can't do too much harm although
it eats about half its body weight and plants each day but when locusts swarm their combined
feeding habits can completely defoliate a landscape leaving farmers without crops and
people without food in 2006 researchers reported an earlier study estimating that damage to forage
crops amounting to 1.5 billion dollars was caused annually by grasshoppers pointone in 1954 a swarm
of desert locusts cysticerci Gregoria consumed over 75 square miles of wild and cultivated
plants in kenya point2 ate grasshoppers are an important source of protein people have been
consuming locusts and grasshoppers for centuries according to the Bible John the Baptist ate
locusts and honey in the wilderness locusts and grasshoppers are a regular dietary component in
local diets in many areas of Africa Asia and the Americas and since they're packed with protein
they're an important nutritional staple as well 9 grasshoppers existed long before dinosaurs
modern-day grasshoppers descend from ancient ancestors that lived long before dinosaurs
roamed the earth the fossil record shows that primitive grasshoppers first appeared during
the Carboniferous period more than 300 million years ago most ancient grasshoppers are preserved
as fossils although grasshopper nymphs the second stage in the grasshopper lifestyle
after the initial egg phase are occasionally found in amber 10 grasshoppers may spit liquid
to defend themselves if you've ever handled grasshoppers you've probably had a few of them
spit brown liquid on you in protest scientists believe this behavior as a means of self-defense
and the liquid helps the insects repel predators some people say grasshoppers spit tobacco juice
probably because historically grasshoppers have been associated with tobacco crops rest
assured however the grasshoppers aren't using you as a spittoon don't forget to subscribe to
our channel to get more interesting videos if you like our video please share it with your friends