black florida grasshopper with orange and yellow spots!!
February 5, 2010
Hi,
Last June I went on vacation in Florida (St. Augustine). While I was there I found this enormous grass hopper. It was about three inches long and very bulky. It was shiny black with orange and yellow spots running down its back, orange stripes on its belly, and orange highlights on its head and thorax. I don’t think that it was fully grown because it had stubby little wings, like those of a nymph. Also, it had no antennae, so I’m wondering it maybe a bird or something attacked it. Thanks for any I.D. you can provide.
Josh Kouri
Hi Josh,
There are two distinct color variations of the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, Romalea microptera, and this black variation is one. The other is yellow and orange with some darker markings.
I saw some at my apartment and I was wondering if thay are poisonous
Just off the tops of our heads, we do not believe they are poisonous, though we do believe they do not taste good, a trait that is advertised with aposomatic coloration.
How do you kill them they are all over my yard?
We do not provide extermination advice.
I found one in Cedar Grove, TN off of hwy seventy east. Hanging around a bush and some Tiger Lilys, The orange and white striped ones. It was just clumbing away from my weeder. took a picture looks just like the one above. wyatt brooks mckenzie tn 38201
Saw an american bald Eagle this morning, across from the the Carroll County 1000 Acre lake off highway 70.
I live in Columbus ga and they are all over my. Back and front yard
What do they eat?
According to BugGuide, the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper eats: “Many herbs and shrubs. Favorite foods are said to include: Pokeweed, Phytolaca americana; Tread-softly, Cnidoscolus stimmulosus; Pickerel Weed, Pontederia cordata; Lizard’s Tail, Saururus sp.; Sedges, Cyperus; and Arrowhead, Sagittaria sp. (Grasshoppers of Florida).”