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What is a grasshopper? |
Bugs, Snails, Worms
If you’ve ever walked through a field, perhaps you’ve met a grasshopper or two. In fact, at times there are so many of these critters in the grass, one or two seem to hop with each step you take! Grasshoppers are green or brown insects with strong hind legs for jumping. In addition, they have two pair of wings and chewing mouthparts!
Did you know that grasshoppers have BIG muscles in their hind legs? In fact, grasshoppers can jump twenty times as high as their bodies are long. That would be like a grownup jumping more than 100 feet in the air!
Grasshoppers live in fields and meadows where they can find plenty of food for munching, such as grass and leaves. While they love to eat, grasshoppers must be on the lookout for predators that want to eat them. Birds, lizards, and mice are a few of the creatures that enjoy making a meal out of grasshoppers!
Long-horned grasshoppers have long, thin antennae,
while short-horned grasshoppers have short, heavy antennae! The katydid
is an example of a long-horned grasshopper, while the locust is an
example of a short-horned grasshopper.
