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Vagrant Grasshoper
Schistocerca nitens
32.1995, -110.968
Field Notes
Description:
This beast was around 7 centimeters, 2 and 3/4 inches. I found the creature after removing some obnoxious tumbleweed, in which he was resting deep inside of, and he was pretty relaxed and stayed put after all the photos I took. The first two shots are focused on the head area, the third and fourth to display the body, the fifth to show detail on a leg, and the sixth to show it compared to a ruler.
Habitat:
Prefers tall, dense grass or weeds outside our home in Tucson, Arizona.
Notes:
It was so still, we all had a turn to "pet" him. :) The colors of this grasshoper are well suited for the urban desert environment; in a place with our extreme weather, weeds and shrubs eventually dry out and turn yellow. Additionally, the ground is also a faint light brown, and both of these are favorable conditions for this bug to eke a life unseen. It appears to not be a fan of using its wings, since it rarely flies away, even in the face of danger. I have never seen one this large before, and it resembles similar smaller species, which makes me wonder if this is just an insect well above the usual size for its specie's group.
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