Ever looked at a grasshopper up close?
When approached, grasshoppers either jump and fly away–if I'm too fast–or remain very still, as if whispering a mantra "I am not here, you haven't seen me". Except this only works when the camouflage pattern matches their background. Not the case here!
Chorthippus apricarius https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/127596333
#iNaturalist #insects #orthoptera #photography #Pyrenees #Pirineus #entomology #entomologia
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
An unusual observation in the wild: a pale-looking large grasshopper nymph, immobile, that started moulting with undulating, rhythmic motions. The head cuticle slowly detached as the new body propelled forward–giving it the appearance of having two heads. Half way through, a yellowjacket wasp attacked!
The wasp munched on the soft, unexpanded wings while the grasshopper helplessly continued its slow moulting procedure into its adult form. Left alive but not unscathed.
Egyptian bird grasshoper, Anacridium aegyptium, on a lemon tree in Hvar island, Croatia https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91574142
#grasshopper #orthoptera #insects #photography #iNaturalist #wasps #entomology
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@albertcardona awesome observations! On one hand we have recently serendipitously found a background mutation that alters wing expansion behavior and after catching up on all the beautiful recent work by Ben White’s group we started a whole new project on this fascinating post-eclosion state (In flies).
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@Gontijo Always was curious about the whitish-looking post-eclosion #Drosophila ... their abdomens ballooning up on the CO2 pad when searching for virgins to make new crosses. Looking forward to reading about wing expansion soon!
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@albertcardona On the other hand I am always impressed with how methodically and quickly yellow jackets chop out chunks of food (usually from meat in our bbcues 😁 🤷♂️ ) carry it away and appear to come back for more. Did you stay long enough to check if it took that huge chunk of unexpanded wing with it and came back for more?
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@albertcardona ps: my app went wild here. some posts timed out but still appeared to go through.
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@Gontijo I did witness the complete moulting sequence of the grasshopper. The wasp didn't ever go away: munched at the wings for a while (like 3-4 minutes), and when the grasshopper was about to free itself of the old cuticle, she left.
The #iNaturalist entry does have the complete sequence of 11 photos: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/91574142
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@albertcardona ah I see. got it! thanks! thinking about it is a very peculiar behavior of the wasp to go for an unexpanded wing during eclosion!..such a short window of opportunity to chop it off and fly away. Wonder if it is common or if the wasp evolved mechanisms to sense /be attracted to something produced around this stage.
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@Gontijo Good question. I have no idea. But surely the wet cuticle emits a peculiar smell that wasps should be familiar with, themselves being moulting insects.
My favourite grasshopper photo moment: moulting sequence.
@albertcardona Many interesting behaviors and physiological changes happening. The inability to react of the grasshopper while performing all the other complex behaviors is really interesting.