Subject: Grasshopper
Location: Tom Price, Pilbara, Western Australia
April 10, 2015 2:54 am
I found this guy in a bush near my work and would be interested to know a little more about him. 🙂
Signature: Chalky
Blistered Grasshopper
Dear Chalky,
Your images of a Blistered Grasshopper, Monistria pustulifera, are quite beautiful. Atlas of Living Australia indicates sightings over much of Australia. According to AuseMade: “This species commonly called the Blistered Pyrgomorph is a short horned, flightless grasshopper. The Blistered Pyrgomorph move so little, that their entire life cycle can be completed under a single bush. Brightly coloured, its mottled body is coloured orange-yellow spots, most probably a warning to potential predators, that pyrgomorphs are poisonous to eat.”
Blistered Grasshopper
Thankyou Daniel that is fascinating. 🙂 I appreciate your effort and prompt response.
Take care.
Chalky.
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I found this kind of insect in my work place in Mardie, Pilbara, WA.
Sometimes it has 2 red bubbles on its back when it is touched. Some of this insect don’t have 2 read bubbles. The name might come from the bubbles, Blistered?
Hi Charles those red bubbles are most likely the 2nd pr of wings which are very small and are covered by the first pair of wings. Even though these are flightless insects they use their wings to flash the red 2nd pr of wings to scare predators away hence why you saw the red when they were touched.
Cheers
Shaun