Grasshoppers

Researched by

Mrs. Fletcher

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Grasshoppers look like this

Grasshoppers have 2 antennae, six legs and three body parts. The body parts are called head, thorax and abdomen. Legs and wings are attached to the thorax and the heart is in the abdomen.

The habitat of a grasshopper

Grasshoppers are observed in all kinds of habitats. Some examples of their habitat are grasslands, rain forests, pastures, fields, swamps and tropics.

Grasshoppers like to eat

Grasshoppers eat grass, leaves and cereal crops. They eat 16 times their body weight. They are herbivores that can jump, walk and fly.

Sometimes grasshoppers gets eaten

Lots of animals including birds eat grasshoppers. A grasshopper is prey for these animals.

The Lifecycle of a Grasshopper

The female grasshopper lays eggs in a hole in the ground. Grasshoppers hatch from eggs. They are nymphs for 4-7 weeks. Nymphs don’t have wings. Finally they become adults. Adults die when it gets cold.

Where in the World?

Grasshoppers live on all continents except Antarctica. They can’t live in such a cold climate.

Did you know . . .

A grasshopper can leap a height that is more than ten times its length. If a person could do that, he or she would be able to jump as high as a five-story building.

WOW

If grasshoppers are picked up, they spit out a brownish liquid, which is known as tobacco juice!

Glossary• Abdomen – last segment of insect with heart and other

organs• Antennae – appendages on the head of an insect• Arthropod – invertebrate with a segmented body• Habitat – the environment where the grasshopper lives• Head – supports the antennae and eyes• Herbivore – plant eater• Thorax – 6 legs are attached to thorax

About the Author

Mrs. Fletcher is the librarian at Owings Mills Elementary School. She enjoys teaching in the library and the computer lab. Mrs. Fletcher is married and has 2 daughters. She roots for the Ravens and spends time at the beach.