Jiminy Cricket! That is one big honkin’ grasshopper!
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| Ink and watercolor in the Moleskine Bug Journal |
This is the Plains Lubber Grasshopper. And, yes, he really is THAT big. The body is almost 2 inches long. His thorax is .5 an inch wide and .5 an inch deep. Add those big, long legs and this guy makes an impression when he comes at you.
I found two of these bad boys munching on grass in the pasture the other day. There seems to be quite a bit of variation in the coloring on the Lubbers -- I loved the pink and green on this one.
I wonder how much grass this guy can consume in one day, or in his lifetime? I would think a few of these put together would do some serious damage to a pasture already stressed by drought. How many Lubbers equal the consumption of one mama cow? I bet somebody has done a study on that somewhere.
In the meantime, I will keep drawing them. This makes page 30 in the “Bug Journal” and there are still lots of bugs out there.
Great lubber drawings, Laura. I also take a special interest in insects. Such a variety out there!
ReplyDeletegood job! do they pose, do you take a picture and work from it? they sure don't look dead!
ReplyDeleteI'd missed these, Laura! Wonderful and informative...
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