The insect jumps like a grasshopper. Tracheal breathing

Grasshoppers: external structure, lifestyle and behavioral features

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The grasshopper is an insect that belongs to the suborder Caelifera. In addition to crickets and locusts, it also includes horned grasshoppers. Among the most interesting facts about grasshoppers, several important findings about these insects come to the fore. This article talks about their diet, behavior, reproduction and distribution.

There are about 8,000 species of grasshoppers in the world. Among them, there are three main species such as long-horned, short-horned, and pygmy. Locust is another type of grasshopper.

Some species are distinguished by their color, behavior and large numbers, they are known as locusts. These insects have antennae that are relatively short compared to their body. With the help of powerful jaws, grasshoppers bite off their food. Powerful and long hind thighs are great for jumping. They are greyish-brown in color, often with a reddish-brown tint.

Data on grasshoppers show that these insects are found almost everywhere in the world, except in extremely cold regions.

Appearance of insects

These insects do not have ears, but they can certainly hear. An organ called the eardrum contributes to their hearing. One of the unique facts about grasshoppers is that the eardrum is located in the abdomen and often looks like a huge round disk.

Grasshoppers are easily confused with crickets, which belong to the same family, but they share many distinctive features. For example, there is a clear difference in the number of antennal segments, the structure of the ovipositor and the way sounds are produced, as well as in the position of the cymbals. Unlike crickets, grasshoppers have 20 to 24 antennae segments.

The nervous system of a grasshopper consists of nerve cells freely located in the body. They are called ganglia. These cells tend to exist in almost all species. All ganglia are connected to the center - the brain.

Grasshoppers have two huge eyes on the top of their heads. These are compound eyes. They consist of thousands of little eyes that receive information and send it to the brain.

Although they have wings, they are not usually used for actual flight. Males are relatively shorter than females with large ovipositors. Two pairs of flaps are attached to the female's abdomen and are actually used for burrowing while laying eggs.

These animals can also change their color depending on the environment. This is especially necessary to get rid of potential predators such as frogs. Most of these species hide well in green fields and forests.

Magnificent Jumpers

Grasshoppers are also known to jump up to 20 times their length.

The weight of these species is 2-3 grams, but they can push off the ground with their feet with a force of about 30 grams. This is due to the muscles in the legs. All movements (contraction and relaxation) must be done quickly, otherwise he will not be able to fly high.

What do grasshoppers sing about

Do you know they sing late at night? If you do not sleep all night, and suddenly you hear a chirping in complete darkness, this is the grasshoppers singing. They do not sing for us, and their sole purpose is to attract females for mating.

What do grasshoppers eat

Grasshoppers are herbivorous species, and they mainly feed on a variety of plants during the day - grass and crops. They have a large amount of protein. Eating everything: leaves, stems, roots. These insects usually limit their diet to a few plants. Some species of these insects can eat tapeworms, so you need to handle them with caution.

Crickets are one of the orthopteran insect families. Its representatives love warmth and moisture, so the greatest variety of species is found in Africa, the Mediterranean and South America. There are 2300 species of insects, the most common are domestic and field crickets. Having settled next to a person, he does not cause a negative reaction like a cockroach or a fly. What the secretive cricket looks like, the photo conveys in full, and in order to listen to its trills, you should go out into the field or garden in the summer.

Description and area of ​​residence

This cricket is a typical representative of the family of orthoptera jumping insects. Its close relatives are grasshoppers and locusts. The insect has an elongated body, a large head, and a gnawing mouth apparatus. The antennae are long, filiform, vision is well developed. Hind legs with thickened thighs allow you to push when jumping.

The elytra are dense leathery, the wings are fan-shaped with veins. The females have an ovipositor with which they cut through the stems to lay eggs. Few people know what a cricket looks like, but at the same time they heard its chirping at dusk. He creates his trills by rubbing the elytra. The more frequent the vibration, the higher the sound. The special structure of the elytra makes it possible to extract sounds in a wide range.

Insects are widespread in Asia, Europe, North Africa and America. In Australia, they are found only in Adelaide, where they were brought from other countries. For housing, they find cracks, dig minks or hide under stones. Activity falls in the summer months, because at temperatures below +21 0 insects become lethargic and stop eating. The love of warmth made crickets seek refuge in human habitation. With the onset of autumn, they move to houses, heated warehouses and industrial buildings.

What is the cricket singing about?

Songs can only be heard from males. They need a complex "musical instrument" to attract females and build communication with other individuals. The main theme of all trills is the invitation of the female for mating. The louder and more interesting the sound, the higher the chances of procreation.

Males settle separately, in their area they allow the presence of female representatives, but will not tolerate rivals. A special chirp warns crickets about the boundaries of foreign territory. Another type of trills is combat songs. These insects are brave and formidable warriors, they always rush into battle, defending their boundaries of residence.

Interesting fact. In China, fights of specially trained crickets are held annually. Males are brought together in a kind of arena and teased with straws, forcing them to start a duel. These fights are popular among the Chinese, with thousands of dollars in bets on the winners. Losing insects will face a sad fate, in a fight they lose their legs and antennae. The vanquished are fed to the birds or thrown away.

Insect nutrition

In the natural environment, crickets feed on fresh grass shoots, shrub leaves. Having settled on the site, and significantly increasing the population, they will harm garden crops. Adults prefer to gnaw on seedlings rather than weeds. Their diet is not limited to plant foods; insects need protein for development. Its source is small insects, corpses or their own offspring.

What does a cricket eat when it is at home? In this case, he is omnivorous, eating bread crumbs, drops of liquid foods and drinks, pieces of vegetables and fruits with equal pleasure. Meat or fish that has fallen on the floor will also be eaten by small neighbors. Showing the instincts of a hunter, they can catch flies or small invertebrates that will be in the house.

Many seemingly harmless insects turn out to be a source of danger, so the question often arises - do crickets bite. As for the night singers, you can be calm, they do not bite people. Gnawing jaws are not adapted for attacking large objects, besides, aggressiveness is manifested only towards males in foreign territory.

Life cycle

Sex differences in insects are manifested in the presence of a chirring apparatus in males, and an ovipositor in females. The size of the appendage is 10-15 mm; with its help, the females lay their eggs in the ground. The cricket belongs to the type of insects with incomplete metamorphosis. This means that its development takes place in three stages:

• egg;
• larva;
• imago.

Larvae of species with incomplete metamorphosis have much in common with adults. For their appearance, a sufficient amount of moisture and high temperature are necessary. The female mates several times and lays eggs from 2 to 4 weeks, singly or in groups of 2-4. In total, up to 500 of them are buried. The number of surviving masonry depends on natural factors. Once out of the egg, the larva molts for the first time. In the process of subsequent molts, the number of facets in the eyes increases, the length of the antennae increases, and wing buds develop. It will take them 1-1.5 months to turn into an adult. How long do crickets live? The life cycle of most species takes only 3 months.

Varieties of crickets

Thousands of species of these insects have been found in nature, mainly inhabitants of the tropics and subtropics. In hot and humid climates, large individuals are found, which are bought because of the spectacular appearance. Among the many types of crickets, the most common are:

field cricket

Insects lead a solitary lifestyle, they settle in meadows and fields, as well as light pine forests. The field cricket digs a hole up to 20 cm deep and 2 cm in diameter. He jealously guards his dwelling, not letting other males into it. The body is black (rarely brown), smooth and shiny. The head is round on the forehead 3 simple eyes (ocelia). The field cricket feeds on leaves, seeds, grass roots, and small invertebrates. The body length of the male is 20-23 mm, the female is slightly smaller - 17-21 mm.

The entrance to the hole is masked by a bunch of grass. If the chirping of the male does not scare away the uninvited guest, the fight begins. In fights, crickets collide with their foreheads, jump at each other, try to bite off a mustache or paw. A male without part of the limbs is considered an inferior being, he will not be able to fertilize females. Field crickets have many natural enemies, so they are very shy and cautious, hearing noise, hide in a hole.

Underdeveloped wings do not allow the insect to fly, so it searches for food by running along the ground. Females during the mating period leave their homes and go in search of a partner. To attract them, males emit sonorous trills, sitting at their holes. A fertilized female lays hundreds of eggs in the ground. A month later, larvae appear to turn into a sexually mature cricket, they have several molts. With the onset of winter in the burrows, the larvae hibernate, by May of the next year they will turn into adults.

You can meet field musicians in Central and Southern Europe, Western Asia, North Africa. Due to frequent droughts, the number of these insects is constantly declining.

Interesting fact. The organs of hearing in crickets are located on the front legs, they capture sound waves and vibrations. To better hear the insect raises one limb.

house cricket

This is the only species that voluntarily coexists with humans. Insects find shelter, food and a favorable climate in houses. Previously, they settled in the warmest place - behind the stove. In modern conditions, it was replaced by central heating pipes. Insects prefer to spend the warm season on the street; they move to houses and basements in September.

The homeland of the insect is Central Asia and North Africa, it will spread to colder areas, it was allowed by close proximity to people. The domestic cricket is similar to a grasshopper with a flat body. Its size is 16-25 mm, the female ovipositor is 11-15 mm. The main color of the body is yellowish-brown, with noticeable dark spots and stripes on the back, abdomen and head. The wings are well developed, the insect actively uses them for flying. There are 3 pairs of legs, thickened hips on the hind limbs help to make a long jump.

Interesting. The antennae of crickets are the organ of touch, their length exceeds the size of the body.

Only night trills allow people to notice the appearance of an insect in the house. Are reconciliations dangerous for humans or pets? They are completely safe - they do not bite, are not poisonous, do not spoil furniture and things. The only concern is the chirping in the dark. Insects feed on the remains of human food, catch invertebrates. They need moist places to breed. The peak of sexual activity is observed in summer, but the laying of eggs and breeding of offspring continues in human habitation.

Having received an unexpected neighbor, people wonder how long the cricket lives in the house? Age of imago (adult) is short, it will disturb with its trills for no more than 3 months.

Interesting fact. With the appearance of a cricket in the house, many signs and superstitions are associated. Among the Slavs, this is a symbol of imminent marriage, recovery or improved well-being. It was strictly forbidden to kill an insect, otherwise an ambulance and other misfortunes awaited a person.

stem cricket

The common stem cricket or trumpeter lives in the steppes and foothills, preferring to settle in the bushes. Representatives of this species can be found in the steppe part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in the north of Kazakhstan and in the south of Siberia. The color of the insect is from greenish to light brown. The body length of an adult individual (adult) is 9-14 mm, the size of the ovipositor is 6-8 mm. Normally, the wings are folded behind the back. The hind legs are covered with small spines.

An ordinary trumpeter waits out a hot day under the leaves, active trills calling for females are heard in the evening and at night. Insects are phytophages, they feed on plant foods.

Attention. When ovipositing, females cut the stems of plants to place eggs in them. If insects settle in large numbers in a tobacco field or in a vineyard, they cause significant damage to planted crops.

The oriental trumpeter is a species found in the Russian Far East, Japan and China. The insect has an elongated body of a light green color, a dark stripe is visible on the abdomen. The elytra are short and transparent. The brown antennae are much longer than the body. Trumpet size 11-13 mm. The female lays eggs in the stems and petioles of the leaves; the larvae appear in July.

banana cricket

The field cricket (Gryllus assimilis) is common in Central America. His homeland is Jamaica. This is one of the largest representatives of the family. Adults reach a size of 18-25 mm. In favorable conditions, they breed all year round. Individuals reach sexual maturity in 1 month. Insects eat plant foods, invertebrates, among them there is cannibalism. With a lack of food, insects eat eggs and larvae.

Interesting fact. The males of this species chirp less than the others, for which they are nicknamed "silent crickets".

Rapid growth and large size have made these insects an object of breeding for pet food. Crickets are a favorite part of the diet for turtles, lizards, reptiles and birds.

Grasshopper and cricket - similarities and differences

Both insects belong to the same order of Orthoptera. Their elongated shape, the head is large, the eyes are well developed. Males of both families have a chirring organ - elytra. Insects have much in common in the process of reproduction, development and nutrition, but upon closer examination it is difficult to confuse them. What is the difference between a grasshopper and a cricket? Grasshoppers are larger, some species reach a size of 35 mm. Their body is usually painted greenish for camouflage in the grass. The hind legs of grasshoppers are much better developed, because they live in open spaces, they need powerful limbs for jumping.

The time of their activity also differs - crickets play music at night, and grasshoppers during the day. Their schedule is associated with the structural features of the wings. The apparatus of grasshoppers to make sounds must be dry. They are waiting for the warmth that will dry the dew from the grass.

Surely many of you know about the existence of grasshoppers. These jumping insects live in almost all regions of our country. The only exceptions are the northern regions with an unfavorable cold climate. After reading today's article, you will understand how long grasshoppers live.

Brief description of the species

Grasshoppers can be recognized by their elongated torso and laterally compressed head, on which two faceted oval eyes are located. Depending on the species, the length of the body of an insect can vary from one and a half to fifteen centimeters. They have three pairs of legs that perform different functions. So, the rear muscular limbs are designed for jumping, and the two front pairs are for walking.

For those who do not know how long grasshoppers live in captivity, it will also be interesting that the distance that this insect jumps can be twenty times the total length of its body. The function is assigned to the sensitive antennae. Some varieties of grasshoppers have two pairs of wings, used not only for flights, but also as protection.

Lifestyle

These insects prefer loneliness. For those who are trying to figure out how long grasshoppers live, it does not hurt to understand that they do not have their own home. They live among trees and bushes. In especially hot weather, insects hide in the grass all day, leaving shady shelters in the morning.

Throughout the summer, grasshoppers emit ringing melodies. These sounds are the result of vibration. They are intensified when insects raise their wings. The singing of males allows them to attract the attention of females and show rivals that this territory is already occupied.

Nutrition Features

For those who do not yet know how long grasshoppers live at home, it will be interesting that they are predators. The basis of their diet is caterpillars, butterflies and other small insects. In some cases, they can feed on larvae, as well as weaker members of their own species.

Waiting for its prey, the grasshopper quietly hides in the grass. It then grabs it with its four forelimbs and immediately eats it. If difficulties arise with the search, they can eat grass, plant stems, tree buds, foliage, flowers, and certain varieties of cereal crops.

Reproduction and development

Those who are interested in how long a grasshopper lives without food should understand that the mating season of these insects begins at the end of July and ends in the first half of September. Their mating lasts for 45 minutes. After that, the female eats the spermatophore. This process can take up to fifteen hours. As for the male, fifteen minutes after the end of mating, he resumes his singing.

For laying, the female chooses a suitable place and digs a not too deep hole there. At one time, she can produce about a hundred eggs of a greenish hue. All of them have an elongated cylindrical shape, and their length is about six millimeters.

With the onset of cold weather, adults die, and the eggs remain buried to a shallow depth throughout autumn and winter. In the spring, after the surface layer of the soil warms up, larvae appear from them, which, after five molts, turn into young insects.

For those who are interested in how long grasshoppers live, we will answer that, taking into account all stages of their development, the duration of their existence is a little more than one year. During this time, he manages to turn from an egg into an adult. If you skip the early ones, then it lives only one summer and dies with the onset of cold weather.

Having figured out how long grasshoppers live, it should be noted that most of the varieties of these insects do not do much harm. The only exceptions are those individuals that destroy tea and citrus plantations.

These insects are a common ingredient in many national Chinese dishes. They are also eaten by Asian and African natives.

The grasshopper has rather powerful jaws, so its bite can be quite painful for a person. Often these insects are kept in captivity as pets. Chinese breeders managed to breed several breeds, whose representatives are distinguished by beautiful singing. The cost of one such individual can reach twenty dollars.

Grasshoppers are settled in spacious aquariums, the bottom of which is strewn with sand. To avoid cannibalism, characteristic of adults, butterflies, spiders, flies, vegetables and fruits should be present in their diet. It is also recommended to feed them with lettuce leaves, berries and unripe ears of wild cereals.

During the period of laying eggs, it is advisable for females to be seated singly. Otherwise, they may begin to divide the territory, which will inevitably lead to fights and eating their own kind.

All species of grasshoppers are characterized by strong hind limbs for jumping, powerful mouthparts for chewing, four long segments, long and filamentous antennae that can exceed their own body length. Grasshoppers is a very large family of orthopteran insects with about 7,000 species in more than 1,000 genera. The sizes of grasshoppers of different species are very different from 1 to 6 centimeters and more. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. Their ranges range from tropical rainforests to high-altitude mountain zones. These habitats are usually associated with vegetation. We have chosen for you, it seems to us, the most amazing and unusual representatives of these insects.

Anabrus simplex (Mormon grasshopper)

photo flickr.com/photos/molas

Some types of grasshoppers are considered pests. However, they do not bring significant damage to the crop. Among these grasshoppers, there is a species Anabrus simplex (Mormon grasshopper) This is a large insect that can reach 8 cm in length. This grasshopper lives in western North America, choosing pastures dominated by sagebrush and beans. Interestingly, Anabrus simplex is a flightless grasshopper, but it is capable of traveling up to two kilometers a day.

Amblycorypha grasshopper (Amblycorypha oblongifolia)

photo www.flickr.com/photos/rmaum

The color scheme of grasshoppers is very interesting, for example, amblicorypha grasshopper (Amblycorypha oblongifolia) may be green, brown, dark brown, pink, or orange. Green is the most common color among these species. Pink and brown are rare, while dark brown or orange are very rare. The origin of an unusual color is a secret of genetics and does not depend in any way on gender, age or environment.

All grasshoppers provide important functions for the ecosystem and for humans. Ecologically, they are very important in terrestrial food chains. In China, grasshoppers have a commercial value and are sold as singing pets.

Peacock Grasshopper (Pterochroza ocellata)

Captivating appearance has peacock grasshopper (Pterochroza ocellata) which is excellent for camouflage. An adult grasshopper of this species has a length of 45 to 65 mm. In protective camouflage, it looks like a dried leaf. If the threat cannot be avoided, the grasshopper exposes its hind wings, showing two noticeable spots that are very similar to huge eyes, scaring off the enemy.

Dybki (Saginae)

Grasshoppers are usually omnivorous, consuming leaves, flowers, bark, seeds, and carrion. But some species, among which are grasshoppers of the subfamily Saginae, are exceptionally carnivorous, feeding on other insects, snails, and even small vertebrates such as snakes and lizards.

Zaprochilinae

photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/ianbool/

Some grasshoppers specialize in pollen, such as those in the genus Zaprochilinae. The grasshoppers themselves are also food for many: bats, spiders, birds, frogs, snakes and other invertebrates and vertebrates.

Spiny devil (Panacanthus cuspidatus)

photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/danoxlade

The main defense of grasshoppers is camouflage, as they camouflage themselves among vegetation. But spiny devil grasshopper(Panacanthus cuspidatus) uses sharp triangular spikes that cover its entire emerald green body to scare away. It can repel such serious opponents as birds and small monkeys.

Green grasshopper (Tettigonia viridissima)

photo https://www.flickr.com/photos/bodorjanos

A very famous and widespread type is grasshopper green(Tettigonia viridissima). This small species, which is only 28-36 mm long, mainly feeds on other insects, such as small butterflies. But in the absence of insects, the green grasshopper switches to plant foods, absorbing large quantities of leaves, buds and flowers of trees and shrubs, cereals, stems and leaves of wild grass.

It is known that all males are capable of making crackling sounds as a result of rubbing one part of the body against another. Such sounds in grasshoppers are the result of rubbing the leg against the wing. Chirring is intended to scare off rivals, but primarily to attract females, so the mating season begins with the singing of males. Most grasshopper species lay their eggs in vegetation or soil. The larvae hatch in the spring, and molt 4 to 6 times over the entire life cycle.

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There is probably not a single person on earth who has not heard the chirping of a grasshopper at least once in his life.

Even toddlers can distinguish the peculiar sound of a grasshopper from other insects.

Description

The name grasshopper originates from the Old Russian language - isok, meaning June.

More than 7,000 species of these insects are known, which are found in every corner of our planet, except for Antarctica. Apparently the harsh Antarctic climate did not suit the spirit.

Structure

External characteristics of a grasshopper:

• Flattened body on both sides;
• Head with large eyes;
• 3 pairs of legs;
• Wings.

With the help of the front paws, they move, and due to the hind legs, more muscular, insects jump over fairly long distances. The length of the jump is 20 times greater than the body of the insect.

The length of the grasshopper depends on the species and ranges from 1 to 5 cm, but there are some individuals whose size reaches 15 cm. Which is comparable to the length of the praying mantis.

Whiskers perform the function of touch in an insect. An interesting fact is that the longer the length of the antennae, the higher the grasshopper occupies a higher place in the hierarchical ladder among relatives.

The wings have a direct function and help the grasshopper take off and fly short distances.

Some subspecies have an additional pair of wings that perform a protective or belay function for the main wings.

Grasshopper chirp

A grasshopper of any type has a peculiar chirping, but in most cases this sound is made by males.

Only in some types of grasshoppers, females are able to make musical sounds, because the wings of females are much weaker than those of individuals of the opposite sex.

Due to this feature, females are simply not able to produce such a musical and expressive sound.

The basic wings with which the insect takes off have rigid elytra. In this case, one wing acts as a resonator, and the second works as a bow.

Due to the vibration of the wings, a wonderful chirping is created, which is characteristic of a certain type of grasshopper.

Grasshopper color

The color of an insect will depend on the habitat it lives in. That is why you can find green, and brown, and even in a striped color.

One of the features of the grasshopper is the location of its ears. They did not have enough space on their heads, like many representatives of other insects. Therefore, the ears are on the front legs in the lower leg area.

In the same place are the eardrums, performing their direct function. With the loss of the front legs, hearing disappears accordingly. The legs are especially dear to him.

How does a grasshopper live

The lifestyle directly depends on the type of grasshopper and its characteristic features.

An ordinary green grasshopper has a body length of up to 4 mm. It is believed that this is the most common group.

As for orange grasshoppers, they were brought to us from China. You can only see them in greenhouses.

The Giant Ueta is considered to be the largest grasshopper. It has a weight of about 80 grams.

Grasshoppers are not pests for humans and agricultural land. And some nationalities have long included these insects in their daily diet.

If the grasshopper feels threatened by a person, then it can bite him. The bites received from this insect are quite painful, because it has a powerful jaw.

Some people like the singing of a grasshopper, and in order to continue listening to it constantly, people came up with an artificial habitat for keeping a house - insectariums.

Nutrition

Who would have thought, but such a small and lovely insect in most cases, depending on the species, is a predator. For eating, he chooses smaller individuals of insects.

However, if the hunt did not go well, he does not mind refreshing himself with young plants.

reproduction

The beginning of reproduction depends on the habitat. In temperate climates, love games begin in late spring or early summer. At this time, males emit flooding trills.

By this time, they have a seminal fluid in the form of a capsule, which is necessary for reproduction.

At the time of reproduction, the male clings a sticky bait - a capsule to the female's abdomen. While she eats it, the liquid gradually enters her oviduct.

After fertilization, the female lays her own eggs, which can contain from 100 to 1000 eggs. Then larvae appear, resembling a small grasshopper.

During growth, the grasshopper molts 4 to 8 times. After the last molt, the insect waits until the wings get stronger. The insect lives only one season.

Grasshopper photo