Purple grasshopper, Chortophaga viridifasciata nymph maybe?
Wed, Mar 25, 2009 at 3:00 PM
This has got to be one of the cutest little critters I’ve ever seen! It’s purple! I have never seen one like it before. A friend of mine caught it in her yard, and saved it for me. I’ve had so much fun trying to ID it. I found one photo on bugguide ( http://bugguide.net/node/view/176424) that might be this hopper, but would like to have a positive ID.
Most of this little hopper’s body is a pinkish purple, save some green on the wings? Its eyes are yellow-green, and it has short, stubby antennae.
My friend said it was playing in the clover when she spotted it, and by the time she managed to catch it out in the field, both she and the hopper were worn out 
Sherry Young
Roe, Monroe County, Arkansas
Northern Green Striped Grasshopper
Dear Sherry,
We believe you have correctly identified this purple Northern Green Striped Grasshopper, Chortophaga viridifasciata. BugGuide lists green and brown forms, and has several images of brighter pink and purple forms.
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¶ Posted 26 March 2009 § ‡ ° red striped bug
Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 5:58 PM
I walked out to the driveway and there were a hundred of these bugs on the driveway and in the dirt adjacent, and crawling up weeds in the area. The sort of jump like crickets. It was 80 degrees, 5pm, in Orlando FL. Is this a common bug to Florida?
Ms. New to Florida
Orlando
Eastern Lubber Grasshopper nymph
Dear Ms. New to Florida,
This is a newly hatched Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, Romalea microptera. BugGuide lists it as ranging in the Gulf States as well as Georgia and South Carolina. It is quite common in Florida. There is both a light and dark adult form. Adults do not fly. Nymphs are often black with a red or yellow stripe as your photo illustrates. Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers can be quite plentiful at times.
¶ Posted 14 March 2009 § ‡ ° Red-headed, Red-legged, Red + Blue winged, Yellow striped bug
Mon, Feb 2, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Dear Bugman
I must begin with an apology that the bug whose identification I request is decapitated in the attached photograph but assure you that this is not a bug mug shot to be assigned to the ‘unnecessary carnage’ division. Its savage death occurred through no fault of my own and since squashing my last ant at the tender age of four, I harbour no entomophobic tendencies whatsoever. The unfortunate demise of this particular bug was marked by its collision with the front grid of a giant purple overland truck travelling at high speed across the border between Namibia and South Africa in the sweltering heat of summer. You will be pleased to know that a minute’s respectful silence was observed in memory of the roadkill bug; and I will be pleased to know its name.
Desperately Seeking sp.
The South African- Namibian border
probably Gaudy Grasshopper
Dear Desperately Seeking Species,
We suspect this is one of the Toxic Milkweed Grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae. The family is also known as the Gaudy Grasshoppers. Those warning colors are a dead giveaway. We are thoroughly amazed at the number of submissions from Namibia we have received in recent weeks. When time permits, we may try to do a more thorough species identification.
1
Huge unknown Namibian grasshopper
Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Hi, i came across this huge grasshopper (locust?) in the Zaris Mountains in Namibia. It must have been close to 10cm long, the biggest hopper i have ever seen! Can you help me identify the species? Can it be some kind of desert locust?
Geir Drange
Namibia
Unknown Grasshopper from Namibia
Hi Geir,
We are going to post your image before we begin trying to identify your large Namibian Grasshopper. It appears to be a flightless species unless it is a nymph that is still growing.
Comment from Eric Eaton
Monday, January 26, 2009
I have no idea what kind of grasshopper that is from Namibia, there is not even anything like it in my Field Guide to Insects of South Africa (by Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths, and Alan Weaving).
Eric
Grasshopper
Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 11:51 AM
Earlier this month I was trying to take photographs of birds when I saw this insect land in front of me. I assume that it’s a grasshopper and not a katydid. It was on the ground at the entrance to a field adjacent to parkland and close to houses in a suburb of Austin, Texas. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a picture of the sunny side of the insect because the entrance gate to the field prevented me from taking a picture from that side. By the way, I’m now back in France where I live!
Chris Shaw
Scofield Farms Drive, Pflugerville, Austin, TX
Wrinkled Grasshopper ???
Hi Chris,
This is definitely a Grasshopper and not a Katydid. We believe it may be in the subfamily Oedipodinae, the Band-winged Grasshoppers, and it looks similar to Encoptolophus costalis which is pictured on BugGuide and ranges in Texas, but we are not certain. We feel it looks even more similar to the Wrinkled Grasshopper, Hippiscus ocelote which can also be viewed on BugGuide. We suspect the species name “ocelote” may refer to the wing spotting resembling that of an ocelot. We will contact Eric Eaton to see if he is able to assist in this identification.
1
¶ Posted 25 January 2009 § ‡ ° Big namibian grashopper
Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Big namibian grashopper
Hi, we stumbled across this large and very well camouflaged grasshopper in august in a mountain range in Namibia. When we were getting very close, it started to rub its hind legs against its abdomen – making quite a loud noise (obviously to scare us away). Very fascinating bug this one. What species can it be?
Geir
Namibia
Grasshopper from Namibia
Hi Geir
Wow, that is some impressive looking grasshopper. It is toadlike. We need to do some research to try to identify its family, genus and species, but perhaps by posting your magnificent images, one of our readers will be able to assist with the answers.
Grasshopper from Namibia
Update: Sat, Jan 10, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Hi Daniel:
Wow indeed! This looks like a Stone Grasshopper (sounds appropriate), in the genus Trachypetrella . There are apparently 3 species reported, although a recent paper suggests they are likely conspecific ( Irish and Roberts 2006 ) under T. anderssonii . Interestingly, they are referred to as raniform (i.e. froglike) grasshoppers and one of the species synonyms is T. rana , although I would agree with you that they look more ‘toadlike’ than ‘froglike’. Regards.
Karl
¶ Posted 10 January 2009 § ‡ ° Green Milkweed Locust?
Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 8:27 AM
Green Milkweed Locust (Phymateus viripides)? Is out of range according to guidebooks but ID seems 99%
Photographed in the Langeberg Range in South Africa in montane fynbos ecosystem. Photo is attached
Brett
Langeberg Range in South Africa
Immature Toxic Milkweed Grasshoppers
Hi Brett,
How nice to get additional Pyrgomorphid Grasshopper images from you. These immature nymphs may be difficult to identify to the species level since they undergo color changes in the maturation process. Toxic Milkweed Grasshoppers are also known as Gaudy Grasshoppers. Since it is now summer in South Africa, we would expect the grasshoppers to be mature. Is it possible this photo was taken earlier in the season?
It was taken about six weeks ago
Thanks,
Brett
1
¶ Posted 07 January 2009 § ‡ ° South African Grasshopper
Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 7:43 AM
Photographed at Cape Point, SA. A photo is attached.
Brett
Cape Point, South Africa
Immature Toxic Milkweed Grasshopper
Hi Brett,
This is an immature Toxic Milkweed Grasshopper, AKA Gaudy Grasshopper, AKA Bushlocust, in the family Pyrgomorphidae. It may be Phymateus saxosus, but we are not certain. Grasshoppers in this family feed on toxic milkweed and stores the toxic compounds in their bodies. If injested, sickness or possibly even death may result. The warning colors are a signal to not eat.
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