Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 7:25 AM
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for identifying my “Spined Micrathena.” I recently moved from New Hampshire to Mexico and keep finding bugs that I have never seen before. Doing a Google search for “Spined Micrathena” I noticed that mine was the most colorful I could find.
I hope you can also identify this grasshopper – He is somewhat similar to this one I found in Tanzania in 1993 -
Sincerely,
David Brownell
Horselubber Grasshopper from Mexico
Hi David,
The Mexican Grasshopper is a Horse Lubber Grasshopper, Taeniopoda eques, and we suspect the Tanzanian Grasshopper is one of the toxic milkweed grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae. It is not an exact match to this specimen we found online, but it has similarities.
probably Milkweed Locust from Tanzania
Help
Hello,
I have a photo of a type of grass hopper and was wondering is it native to Western Australia and if it is what’s the grass hoppers name?
Nyssa Henderson
Hi Nyssa,
We couldn’t locate your Grasshopper on Geocities, but we thought it resembled the Pyrgomorphidae species we have identified in South Africa. That was a good hunch as this turns out to be a Blistered Grasshopper, Monistria pustulifera, also known as the Inland Painted Grasshopper. The Australian Insect Website states: “The blistered grasshopper (or pyrgomorph) belongs to the family Pyrgomorphidae. This family has some of the smallest and some of the largest grasshoppers in Australia. The pustulifera species can grow up to 65mm in length. This short horned grasshopper has a mottled body, with orange-yellow spots all over.” South African Pyrgomorphs are toxic because they feed on milkweed. The same may be true of the Blistered Grasshopper. Thanks for adding a new Australian species to our site. It is rare for us to get Australian submissions during Northern Hemisphere summer, or perhaps the shear volume of American submissions at that time causes us to overlook letters from down under.
Strange grasshopper
Hello,
I would love to know what it is that I had the previlage of photographing here. I encountered this bug in Bali, Indonesia. The insect is wet, because we had just fished it out of a pond in which the it was drowning tangled in the algae. I thought that it was a Balinese prince which had been turned into an insect by a spell. I am still waiting for my reward for saving the prince. If you don’t ID it, then I can keep believe that. =)
J.Kim
Hi J,
The prince is a nice thought, but we believe this to be one of the Gaudy Grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae. We have only gotten images of Gaudy Grasshoppers from Africa in the past, but some internet research indicates they are also found in Indonesia. The African species are also known as Milkweed Grasshoppers. They feed on milkweed and incorporate the toxins from the plant into their own systems, hence they are toxic to most amimals. The bright warning colors let the predators know to keep away. We were unsuccessful in getting you a species name on this beautiful Gaudy Grasshopper.
Update: (03/24/2008)
Gaudy Grasshopper from Indonesia 03/20/2008
I believe the Gaudy grasshopper from Indonesia is Aularches milaris. Hope this info helps,
Chad Lensbower
¶ Posted 20 March 2008 § ‡ ° What’s this bug’s name?
SEEN IN HERMON, SOUTH AFRICA, LAST MONTH. CAN YOU HELP ME? THANKS,
LYNNE
Hi Lynne,
This is a Foaming Grasshopper, Dictyophorus spumans, one of the toxic, milkweed eating, Gaudy Grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae.
¶ Posted 20 November 2007 § ‡ ° Grasshopper from SA
Hi there,
I found this Grasshopper on my lawn (in South Africa) last summer and would really like to know its name and family. Thank you,
Rhode
Hi Rhode,
This is a Green Bush Locust, Phymateus viridipes. It is one of the toxic Milkweed Grasshoppers. Your photo is quite stunning.
¶ Posted 08 October 2007 § ‡ ° could you id this guy?
Hello,
I stumbled across your website, and thought if anyone could id this bug, it would be you guys. I took the shot from the top of Victoria Falls in Zambia in February of this year. Can anyone identify this grasshopper/cricket? It is about 6 inches long, and I found it near the top of Victoria Falls, Zambia. It really was an amazing creature, and didn’t seem to mind me getting so close for this macro.
Cheers,
Remy
Hi Remy,
We are certain this is one of the Toxic Milkweed Grasshoppers in the genus Phymateus. The frontrunner is Phymateus morbillosus and we located a photo that seems to match your specimen, but other images look different. Grasshoppers in the genus Phymateus are known as Milkweed Locusts or Gaudy Grasshoppers. Because of their diet of Milkweed, they are highly toxic.
¶ Posted 07 May 2007 § ‡ ° Unidentified 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.
¶ Posted 11 April 2006 § ‡ ° Whats That Bug?
Hello Whats That Bug?
I found this grasshopper in the mountains of Madagascar. The people there call it tumateus. It is about 10cm and eats toxic plants. Do you know any source of information about this bug? I didn’t personally take the picture. Would it be possible for you to add a photo credit to www.tsaracamp-madagascar.com? Its a website I’m currently working on and for which I’m seeking the information for that particular toxic grasshopper. In case I find any details I’ll forward it to you.
Many thanks,
Kati
Hi Kati,
It was our childhood dream to see the exotica in Madagascar. We don’t know what this is, but will try doing some additional research. Meanwhile, we are posting it because it is so gorgeous.
Update
Dear Bugman,
I happened by your website and can pass on a couple of names for you. On your main page the first two photographs are: Madagascar grasshopper – Phymateus, probably P. saxosus. There is a photo of this on the back cover of American Entomologist 40(4), Winter 1994 labeled P. sosux, but this may be a misspelling of sosux. Alternatively, they may both be good names.
Jim Hogue
Phymateus saxosus
(01/28/2006)
I just saw the beautiful picture of the appropri ately identified Phymateus saxosus on your site. They are a member of the Pyrgomorphidae. I have a preserved specimen of P. saxosus on my office wall, but it hasn’t retained it’s bright blue coloration. It’s hind wings are a bright magenta tipped with black spots. I have seen & heard P. saxosus sometimes referred to by the common names of Rainbow Bush Locust, Rainbow Milkweed Locust, or Giant Milkweek Locust. I believe its high toxicity comes from milkweed or similar toxic plants, hence the common name.
Chad Lensbower
¶ Posted 17 January 2006 § ‡ ° 
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