Creature Feature #281: Grasshopper

There are thousands of species of Grasshopper, spread throughout the world. Their preferred diet consists of grasses, leaves and cereal crops, which he chews with his mandibles to start the digestion process. Many Grasshoppers are coloured for camouflage.  Like most arthropods, Grasshoppers begin as a nymph and grow through several instars before attaining their adult form.  This fellow is the Lubber Grasshopper, from the southeastern states of America. He can grow up to 8cm long. His wings are atrophied, rendering him incapable of flight and he is only able to jump short distances, instead preferring to walk. To avoid getting eaten, he is toxic and will emit a nasty secretion to repel anything that tries to chomp him.