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Many visitors to the refuge in
summer are repulsed or horrified by the large numbers of these colorful grasshoppers.
Their life history, abundance, large size and bright colors, and unique behaviors
make them a great subject for nature photography, though. |
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In "good" years, huge
numbers of lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera) nymphs begin hatching by
mid-March. From then on through fall, they can be found in abundance on vegetation
along the dikes or in open areas or on trails through the hammocks. They are
black with orange, yellow, or red stripes, as are many chemically protected
animals. Consequently, they seem to be mostly
avoided by predators. If you throw them in the canals, the fish generally ignore
them. |
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For an
hour or so after hatching and digging out from the soil where they
incubated over the winter, the young lubbers are red or brown. The
exoskeleton
soon "tans", however, and they acquire their characteristic warning
coloration.
They soon begin feeding
on a variety of plants, often climbing to the tops to
browse the newest, most succulent leaves. |
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In late afternoon, feeding
groups of lubber nymphs begin congregating and climb up onto the trunks of trees or
whatever tall vegetation they can find. Clusters of thousands can sometimes be
found. |
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When fully grown, they molt
into the reproductive, adult stage, and undergo a dramatic color change. The first
adults start appearing in early summer. Males spend inordinate amounts of time
getting laid. They climb onto females and ride them around, often with some
resistance by the female. The females sometimes rock violently back and forth,
apparently attempting to dislodge the male. It's likely they are testing
the strength and endurance of the males to ensure they have chosen
high-quality sires for their babies.
These behaviors are
especially energetic when a rival male is trying to dislodge the
mounted male.
The males often vigorously flash their bright red wings and produce
buzzing and popping sounds with their wings that can be heard from several
meters away. The male sometimes stay mounted on the female until
she lays eggs underground, as the female above is doing. |
