The western horse lubber grasshopper, a titan among its kind, stands as a remarkable species. Adorned in a vivid tapestry of black and yellow, this insect not only captivates with its bold aposematic coloration but also intrigues with its unique size and behavior. Here are some interesting facts about it.
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Romaleidae
Genus: Taeniopoda
They are black and yellow
The western horse lubber grasshopper, along with the eastern lubber grasshopper, is the biggest grasshopper you can find in America. Female horse lubbers can be as long as 4 to 7.1 cm, while males are a bit smaller, around 3.3 to 5.8 cm. Their striking resemblance to a horse’s head from the side, complete with what appears to be a bridle. This look makes them a distinctive presence in their habitat.
These grasshopper species stand out with their black bodies decorated with yellow racing stripes, and their wings have yellow veins with green lines, along with red hindwings edged in black. Their antennas are usually yellow or orange.
In different places, these animals have different colors. Some in Mexico are yellow, orange, or green, while most in the United States are black, with rare ones in Arizona. These bright colors are like a warning sign to predators, telling them that these grasshoppers aren’t tasty to eat.
Western horse lubber grasshopper habitat
The western horse lubber grasshopper lives in the southwestern US and northern Mexico. You can find them in places like Mexico, southern New Mexico, and southern Arizona. They also inhabit different parts of Mexico, as far as Guerrero. These grasshoppers like living in dry places, such as oak savannas, woodlands, and places with lots of shrubs like Mimosa, Acacia, Yucca, and Ephedra.
To live in the desert environment, thermoregulation, which means controlling body temperature, is super important for western horse lubber grasshoppers. In the tough desert life, keeping the right body temperature is key for doing simple things like eating, reproducing, and running away from enemies. Their black color helps them absorb heat quickly, which helps them grow faster and have more babies. It also helps the insects to bask in the sun to soak up even more heat and not get too hot. Without these tricks, these grasshoppers wouldn’t make it in the desert.
Diet
These lubber grasshoppers mostly eat flowers, leaves, and seeds. They can live alongside these plants without damaging them. Sometimes, they’ll even eat dead insects, including other grasshoppers.
The species are often attacked by predators like birds, lizards, ants, grasshopper mice, and other threats. Their big size usually keeps them safe from most small creatures. For bigger enemies, they protect themselves by reaseling chemicals that come from the plants they eat. These chemicals can make predators throw up or even die. The grasshoppers also use bright colors, show off their bright red wings, make loud noises, and spray smelly stuff to scare them off.
Life cycle
The western horse lubber grasshoppers are not picky about their partners. Males can be quite forceful when it comes to mating. They might try to mate with females of their own species, males of their species, or even grasshoppers from other species without any warning. This reproduction can last up to a whole day.
The life cycle of grasshoppers, including that of the western horse lubber grasshopper has 3 main life stages: eggs – nymphs –adults.
Egg stage: Female western horse lubber grasshoppers mostly lay their eggs in the soil, some can choose different locations. They can lay egg pods containing up to 30-50 eggs each. Unlike other grasshopper species, the males don’t stick around to protect the females when they lay their eggs. The eggs are typically laid in the late summer or fall and will overwinter in the soil.
Nymph stage: The eggs hatch in the late spring or early summer of the following year, depending on temperature and moisture conditions. The timing of hatching is critical for the survival of the nymphs, as it needs to align with the availability of food. The baby western horse lubber grasshoppers are born red, but they turn into black color within 2 hours.
After hatching, the nymphs go through several instar stages, usually five to six, where they shed their exoskeleton and grow larger. During these stages, they resemble adults but are smaller and lack wings. At this stage, these lubber grasshoppers are very social, they like to gather in groups. When they grow up, they prefer to be alone.
Adult Stage: Once the final molt occurs, the grasshoppers reach adulthood. Adults have fully developed wings, although the western horse lubber grasshopper cannot fly and prefers to walk or hop. When reaching sexual maturity, they mate, and the females lay eggs, continuing the cycle. These adults can live for several months, typically through the summer and into early fall. After reproduction, adult grasshoppers die, and the cycle begins anew with the next generation’s eggs.
Reference: Wikipedia
