I was spraying out in Camp Verde today and came across this big fellow – the Plains Lubber Grasshopper. This is a flightless grasshopper that feeds mainly on plants but will eat a smaller insect if they can catch it. They can attack farm fields in great numbers and cause crop damage but around the house they are generally not much of a concern.
The funny little pink flaps with black dots on his back are actually his wings. After seeing them I guess its easy to understand why he can’t fly. These guys seem to reach their greatest numbers in late summer and early fall.
