Grasshopper or Locust? What's the diff?

karnage · 20th April 2006

Took a quick shot of this grasshopper eating some flowers when I was up in Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia, a couple of days ago. Comments please?

Taken with FZ20 & 2 Nikon 6Ts stacked with external flash.

husky · 20th April 2006

Hmm, there is actually not much of a diff between locusts and grasshoppers. They differ mainly in behaviour:

Locusts are also called the 'short-horned grasshoppers', and these grasshoppers usually have shorter antennae, about less than half the body length. Locusts are found in two forms - gregarious and solitary, and the gregarious forms are often those which migrate over great distances in swarms. Most species in Singapore are solitary forms.

The 'long-horned grasshoppers' include the true grasshoppers, which like the locusts can come in colours of brown to green. They are usually solitary, and are never migratory. The katydid is also considered a form of the long-horned.

Hope this helps.

zac08 · 20th April 2006

Grasshoppers that migrate have been given the classification of locust. Grasshoppers and locusts are of the family Locustidae. However "true" locusts will emigrate when they have multiplied to the point that they must move on to an area that is capable of sustaining their feeding needs. This behavior in not consistent nor does it run in cycles like grasshoppers. This why we hear of swarms of locusts infesting an area. Crickets and katydids are of the locust family. Katydids are mostly green in coloring and also identified by their piercing "song" katy-did-katy-didn't. We see from all this that the name grasshopper is a catch all phrase for this group of insects.

More info from the web

Grasshopper Control

What is a locust?

Cheers,

Cheesecake · 20th April 2006

locusts changes colour when they are enraged or disturbed. when they do this, they will all too likely take off and fly to another plot of land and empty it of the crops... etc.etc.

been watching NG and the scientists realised that by stroking their hind legs repeatedly, causes them to turn nasty and changes colour(pink/red).

locusts are pests that are difficult to get rid of.

i love NG programmes.

Snoweagle · 20th April 2006

Speaking of locusts, i saw one on the ledge at the bridge across singapore river which is about nearly 12cm long! Too bad i dun have my cam with me!!

20th April 2006	#1
karnage Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Ang Mo Kio Posts: 988	Grasshopper or Locust? What's the diff? Took a quick shot of this grasshopper eating some flowers when I was up in Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia, a couple of days ago. Comments please? Taken with FZ20 & 2 Nikon 6Ts stacked with external flash. __________________ incywincyspider climbup the waterspout...

20th April 2006	#2
husky Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Singapore/London Posts: 99	Re: Grasshopper or Locust? What's the diff? Hmm, there is actually not much of a diff between locusts and grasshoppers. They differ mainly in behaviour: Locusts are also called the 'short-horned grasshoppers', and these grasshoppers usually have shorter antennae, about less than half the body length. Locusts are found in two forms - gregarious and solitary, and the gregarious forms are often those which migrate over great distances in swarms. Most species in Singapore are solitary forms. The 'long-horned grasshoppers' include the true grasshoppers, which like the locusts can come in colours of brown to green. They are usually solitary, and are never migratory. The katydid is also considered a form of the long-horned. Hope this helps. __________________ D300, 17-55 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8 VR, 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 VR, Tamron 90 macro \| talfryn.com

20th April 2006	#3
zac08 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: East Posts: 10,962	Re: Grasshopper or Locust? What's the diff? Grasshoppers that migrate have been given the classification of locust. Grasshoppers and locusts are of the family Locustidae. However "true" locusts will emigrate when they have multiplied to the point that they must move on to an area that is capable of sustaining their feeding needs. This behavior in not consistent nor does it run in cycles like grasshoppers. This why we hear of swarms of locusts infesting an area. Crickets and katydids are of the locust family. Katydids are mostly green in coloring and also identified by their piercing "song" katy-did-katy-didn't. We see from all this that the name grasshopper is a catch all phrase for this group of insects. More info from the web Grasshopper Control What is a locust? Cheers, __________________ Michael Lim My Flickr Site APAD 2009

20th April 2006	#4
Cheesecake Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: I live in a haunted house!!!!! Posts: 12,835	Re: Grasshopper or Locust? What's the diff? locusts changes colour when they are enraged or disturbed. when they do this, they will all too likely take off and fly to another plot of land and empty it of the crops... etc.etc. been watching NG and the scientists realised that by stroking their hind legs repeatedly, causes them to turn nasty and changes colour(pink/red). locusts are pests that are difficult to get rid of. i love NG programmes. __________________ You'll Never Walk Alone! 初恋的感觉杀很大!

20th April 2006	#5
Snoweagle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hougang Posts: 11,829	Re: Grasshopper or Locust? What's the diff? Speaking of locusts, i saw one on the ledge at the bridge across singapore river which is about nearly 12cm long! Too bad i dun have my cam with me!! __________________ Canon EOS 5D w/BG-E4, 50 f/1.2 L, 580EX II. Sigma 12-24 f/4.5-5.6, 70-300 f/4-5.6 APO.