# Biggest grasshopper?



## JoeCapricorn (Nov 9, 2009)

What is the biggest grasshopper of the super family Caelifera in the world?

I know that the largest in the United States is Eastern Lubber, but are there larger grasshoppers that are available to keep as pets in the US?


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## PhilinYuma (Nov 9, 2009)

JoeCapricorn said:


> What is the biggest grasshopper of the super family Caelifera in the world?I know that the largest in the United States is Eastern Lubber, but are there larger grasshoppers that are available to keep as pets in the US?


Is Caelifera a super family, now? It used to be a sub order! Why am I not surprised?  

I have no idea what is on sale in the US, but one of the largest of the Acrididae is Tropidacris cristatus, from Costa Rica. Weighing in at about 1Gm or more (female) and with a wing span of 25cm, it is easily mistaken for a bird (there is a story of an ornithologist shooting one by mistake in Preston-Mafham's book!) and is much larger than our own "bird" grasshoppers (Schistocerca sp.).


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## JoeCapricorn (Nov 9, 2009)

Caelifera is still a super order, because I originally had Acrididae there, but I changed it. I just didn't change the "Super family" thing.


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## Rick (Nov 9, 2009)

We have huge grasshoppers around here. I believe they are Schistocerca americana, bird grasshoppers.


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## Ntsees (Nov 9, 2009)

Err...I thought the bird grasshopper was the largest US grasshopper. I had completely forgotten about the lubber because the last time I've seen one was in a dissection exercise back in high school. Oh well, the bird grasshopper is non-toxic (I think) plus I like how they fly.


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## Peter Clausen (Dec 11, 2009)

Haven't seen enough R. microptera/Easterns to compare (had some a few months ago though) and I know everybody says they're larger than horse lubbers, but horse lubbers (T. equus) seem larger to me.

http://www.youtube.com/user/bugsincyberspa.../23/PFchWzKM0yc (Click HQ)


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## JoeCapricorn (Dec 13, 2009)

I saw that video, it is awesome!

Do you ship Horse Lubbers?

Or.... what about Plains Lubber grasshoppers?


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## Peter Clausen (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks Joe!

I only ship them when I'm in the field in/from Arizona (collect on demand basis). I'm going to Mexico next year instead of AZ, so it may be a few years. The plains lubber might actually weigh more and is quite colorful in its own right. Both are very abundant in locations where they occur.


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## JoeCapricorn (Dec 17, 2009)

Grasshoppers are my favorite insect. Mantises are a close second, but I grew up with grasshoppers... so if you find any neat species of hopper in Mexico, lemme know ^_^


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## hibiscusmile (Dec 17, 2009)

Do they bite? I always think one is biting me and then I get scared, and right after that pissed!


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## JoeCapricorn (Jan 11, 2010)

The lubbers I got never even opened their mouths at me or spit juice when I pick them up. Differential grasshoppers are more prone to biting, as are many of the genus Melanoplus... but the worst is a slight pinch, nothing that leaves a mark. Carolina grasshoppers and other banded wings and slant-faced grasshoppers never really open their mouths when picked up... although some still spit juice, never been bit by one. For some grasshoppers, I used to use the biting and spitting reflex to hand feed them when I was a child. It would keep the grasshopper calm as I held it. I don't do this anymore, don't need to. If a grasshopper is hungry, it'll eat without coaxing. Sometimes a grasshopper will be so hungry that it will try to bite at whatever it can reach, which often is my finger. With Eastern lubbers, and probably any sort of non-flying Lubber grasshopper, they won't jump very often and are very tame and docile. I let them sit on my keyboard and eat fresh greens.

Conehead katydids have the worst bite I've ever come across in an orthoptera, but I'd imagine some katydids from Texas and the Jerusalem cricket might just have a worse bite. All katydids tend to nibble my fingers for some reason, either salt or moisture, coneheads aren't any different, except their jaws are huge and they pinch! Other katydids are fun when they do this, it tickles and feels cool, since it's similar to a mantis grooming sensation than a biting one. Although, sometimes a katydid will start to bite just because they are hungry or something.


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