Whats Hopping?

 Each step along the peninsula path sent two or three of these insects hopping!  

This one landed on the bench.  It is a grasshopper.  There are up to 18,000 different species of grasshoppers.  They are herbivores, which means they eat plants.  In some countries, like Africa, China and Mexico, people eat grasshoppers.  (Don't eat a raw grasshopper, you might get a tapeworm.)

This grasshoppers is trying to hide behind the grass blade is clinging too.  They can jump more than 20 times their body length, so if hiding doesn't work - he can still make a jump for it!

Grasshoppers are hard to catch because they have FIVE eyes.  Two large compound eyes, on each side of the head, and three small single eyes–one above the base of each antenna, and one below and midway between the two antennae.  They have no nose.  Instead, they breath through holes on the sides of their body.

Interesting insects, don't you think?

Enjoy!

~ Robin