Categories
Toxic Milkweed GrasshoppersUnidentified Locust?
Hi
I hope you can help. I took the attached photograph of this Locust? in the Drakensberg Mountains at Cathedral Peak, South Africa, about six weeks ago. I have not been able to identify at this stage and hope you are able to assist.
With thanks
Iain Davidson
Hi Iain,
This really looks like the Foaming Grasshopper, Dictyophorus spumans, a toxic species in the family Pyrgomorphidae (Gaudy Grasshoppers), but the wings look longer than we have found on online images. These grasshoppers feed on milkweed and store heart poisons called cardiac glycosides in their bodies. When threatened, the grasshoppers exude a foam containing the poisons.
I like ThisRelated Posts
-
(05/20/2006)South African Grasshopper -
(03/20/2008)Gaudy Grasshopper from Indonesia -
(01/23/2008)Another South African Gaudy Grasshopper -
(01/11/2008)South African Gaudy Grasshopper
Trackbacks & Pingbacks 1
[...] Sharon, This appears to be a Foaming Grasshopper or Koppie Foam Grasshopper, Dictyophorus spumans, one of the Toxic Milkweed Grasshoppers in the [...]
Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.
Post a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.