Interesting Facts About Grasshoppers
The grasshopper is an insect recognized by its ability to leap long distances. They are found in a variety of habitats all over the world except near the North and South poles. Grasshoppers may be green or brown and may have yellow or red markings. Grasshoppers are closely related to locusts, roaches and crickets. Grasshoppers belong to a group of insects called orthoptera.
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Over 20,000 Species
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There are well over 20,000 species of grasshoppers. There are short-horned grasshoppers, long-horned grasshoppers and pygmy grasshoppers. Locusts are actually a type of grasshopper. The Tettigoniidae family of grasshoppers includes large grasshoppers, and katydids are a part of this family. Grasshoppers are usually bright green but there are many exceptions. Crickets are very closely related to grasshoppers and it's sometimes difficult to tell them apart.
Grasshoppers Can Leap Up to 20 Times Their Length
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Grasshoppers only weigh about 2 to 3 grams, but can thrust their legs against the ground at a force of 30 grams with legs half-extended. This works when leg muscles contract. This must all take place quickly, the thrust and contractions, because if the thrust builds up too slowly, the grasshopper will not get a quick take-off and the leap will not be very far. The northern grasshopper can actually leap 20 times the length of its body at full force.
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Grasshoppers Have No Ears
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Although grasshoppers do not have hears, they can hear. This is due to an organ called a tympanum. Interestingly, the tympanum is located on the abdomen of the grasshopper and resembles a large round disk. The tympanum is basically an eardrum on the side of a grasshopper's body that allows the grasshopper to hear. The organ consists of several processors and nerves that are used to monitor the air for vibrations, similar to the human eardrum.
Grasshoppers "Sing"
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You may have heard grasshoppers "chirping" at night. Male grasshoppers sing. The purpose of singing is to attract females for mating and warn off other males. The short-horned grasshoppers have a comb-like structure on the hind leg that they rub against a ridge on the wing. In long-horned grasshoppers, the wings have the comb and ridge textures and are rubbed together to create the sound.
Grasshoppers Can See Forward, Backward & Sideways
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If you take a look at a grasshopper, you will see that on the top of its head, there are two large eyes. These are "compound eyes." Inside of these eyes are thousands of even tinier eyes that work together to form one large picture in the grasshopper's brain. The grasshopper also has three small single eyes. The grasshopper's eyes allow the insect to see forward, backward and sideways for long distances.
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References
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- Photo Credit grasshopper image by Ben Twist from Fotolia.com
