Grasshopper


Phylum, Arthropoda; Class, Insecta; Order, Orthoptera

Appearance
Brown, with some darker markings
Black herringbone pattern on hind femur
Big hind legs for jumping
2 pairs of wings: forewings narrow and relatively hard; hind wings large, membranous
Antennae not very long, 20-24 segments
Conspicuous eyes
Cerci (pair of appendages at end of abdomen) enjoined

Adult Males and Females
Males have a single unpaired plate at the end of abdomen. Female has two pairs of valves (triangle shapes) at end of abdomen used to dig in sand when egg laying.

Impact on the Ecosystem
Positive
As herbivores, grasshoppers link plants to the rest of the ecosystem. Frass (droppings) contribute to nutrient turnover by returning nutrients as fertilizer for the plants. They provide food for birds and other arthropods.

Negative
Sometimes some species of grasshopper occur in very large numbers and cause serious crop damage and loss of plants in pastures.