Adventures in the jungle

Tiny Tuesday: Field Grasshopper

My main shot is another grasshopper.  We appear to have two different types of grasshopper in the garden, at least, I think we do.  I had been assuming that they were the same - field grasshoppers, but perhaps they aren't?

I've put up as my extra a shot of the other sort.  There is a noticeable difference in colour.  The grasshopper in main blip is a sandy colour, and is well camouflaged for dead grass.  The grasshopper in the extra shot is much darker and looks more like a piece of bark or dark twig.  They also appear to have differently shaped heads?

If any blippers out there know more about this sort of thing than me (and that wouldn't be hard) I welcome your thoughts!  

Finally, my last extra is of a confrontation between an ant and a harlequin ladybird.  The ladybird was sitting still on the leaf, when an ant passed close by.  I was amazed by the speed with which it grabbed the ant.  There followed a short tussle.  I was pretty sure that this would be the end of the ant.  However, much to my surprise the ladybird released the ant and made a hasty retreat and the ant appeared none the worse for the experience.