Lubber grasshoppers are large, flightless insects native to south-eastern and south-central USA. Their bright color provides a warning to predators that they are toxic. Birds and mammals don't eat them. Because this insect is large, up to 3 inches long, many people mistakenly believe that they cause significant agricultural damage. In reality, they consume less food material than more injurious species of grasshoppers that are only 1/3 as large or smaller. They breed only one generation per year. If they do become a problem, lubbers can be easily removed by hand. They are NOT toxic to touch. If there are too many to control by hand-picking, insecticides must be sprayed directly on the insects since they are not easy to kill. This video shows how lubbers hold and fold leaves when feeding. By folding a leaf, they can consume twice as much food material in each bite. Also, they always eat leaves from top to bottom (never the reverse). Interesting! Scientific name for Lubber Grasshoppers: Romalea microptera (Beauvois) (= guttata (Houttuyn)) (Insecta: Orthoptera: Acrididae). For additional information see: edis.ifas.ufl.edu Music by Positively Dark: www.entropymusic.com Photography by Ken Kramm: Canon Vixia HF S20, Imovie09, filmed at WG Jones State Forest, June 2010.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Video Rating: 5 / 5
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