Nature Notes
Grasshoppers Favor Dry, Open Areas Like British Landing
By Patricia Martin

About a week ago, I was riding my horse along British Landing Road. When we reached the stretch by the end of the airport, suddenly it seemed like hundreds, or thousands, of grasshoppers began to jump and fly. I have to tell you, my horse didn't really appreciate all these little jumpy things. He dropped his head and cocked it to the side, as if to get a better look at these creatures. He walked as quickly as he could past the field, and only relaxed when we got down State Road. This pattern repeated itself on our return up British Landing. I don't think I've ever seen so many grasshoppers.

Grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets are found in the insect order Orthoptera. This order includes small to large (0.5- to 4.5-inch) insects, which are usually brownish or greenish, with more or less elongated and sometimes slightly compressed bodies. Orthopeterans have two pairs of wings, a narrow, leathery front wing with many veins, and broader, more membranous, hind wings that fold, fanlike, beneath the front wings. The head bears chewing mouthparts, well developed compound eyes, and long, slender antennae. Most species have enlarged muscular hind legs for jumping; in fact, the leg muscles of locusts are about 1,000 times more powerful than an equal weight of human muscle. Because of this, they can jump 10 times its body length. Some of the species "sing" (stridulate), and those that do have eardrums located on the thorax or abdomen, but sometimes on the front legs. The females have a conspicuous egg-laying organ (ovipositers) on the end of the abdomen.

Carolina locust with right wings spread to show the black wing with the pale border.

Members of the Orthopera reach adulthood through simple metamorphosis with only three stages - the egg, nymph, and adult. Grasshoppers lay their eggs in the soil, and in many species, this is how they winter over. The eggs hatch the following spring, and the nymphs molt five to seven times before they reach adulthood.

There are quite a number of species of this order in Michigan. In fact, 124 species have been collected in this state. The grasshoppers that my horse and I discovered are one of the most common species, the Carolina locust (Dissostiera carolina). The Carolina locust is in the family Acrididae, or the Short-horned grasshoppers and locust. These are medium to large insects that are generally brownish or greenish in color. The antennae of these insects are short (less than half the length of the body). They have large hind legs, ideal for jumping, and a large pair of hind wings, which are folded up beneath the front ones. The hind wings are usually brightly banded with yellow, pink, or red.

The Carolina locust is recognized by the hind wings, which are black with a pale border. When my horse and I saw these insects, they were jumping and spreading their wings. The pale yellow band on the edge of the wings was quite visible. These locusts favor dry, barren soils, and are frequently encountered along dusty paths, trails, dirt roads, and open areas. The end of the airport is a perfect spot for them, and they're very active during the daytime. These insects are capable of singing or striation. They rub a keellike ridge on the leg against a thickened vein on the wing. It's usually only the males that have the ability to sing, and every species has its own special song.

Like most members of the order Orthoptera, Carolina locusts are omnivorous, feeding primarily on vegetation, but they may become carnivores, cannibals, or scavengers when vegetation is unavailable because of drought or overpopulation.

Some members of the Orthoptera are plant pests, and periodic outbreaks can result in significant damage to pastures, crops, and ornamental plants. One might think of the locusts wiping out the harvest for the early settlers in Utah, until the "miracle" occurred and flocks of gulls came in and ate the locusts. These were some of the locusts that migrate long distances in swarms.

Grasshoppers are eaten by people in some cultures, and I have, in fact, eaten some that were prepared by a young friend of mine, fried and seasoned with garlic salt (not bad, but a bit crunchy). Grasshoppers have also been used as fish bait, with some success. It is interesting to note that the oldest recognizable picture of an insect drawn by a human was of a cave cricket. It is one of the cave paintings in southern France, and dates back to the Magdelenian culture (sometime before 17,900 B.C.).

As you're hiking, biking, or riding around or through Mackinac, keep your eyes open for the Carolina locust or others of our crickets and grasshoppers. These guys really can do a high jump!

Trish Martin is a yeararound resident of Mackinac Island, has earned a master's degree in botany from Central Michigan University, and owns Bogan Lane Inn.