While hiking in Brecksville Reservation, I sometimes come across these cool insects. They are commonly found in North America, with high quantities inhabiting Canadian prairies and farmland.

A pair of pale yellow stripes running along the top of it body from above its eyes to the hind tip of its wings identify this species. This characteristic also gives this species its other common name, the Yellow-striped Grasshopper.

The Two-striped Grasshopper is polyphagous, which means it is capable of eating a wide variety of foods. Its diet includes diversity of grasses, forbs, trees, shrubs, and many cultivated plants.

It is a large insect. Females, like this one, can seem enormous compared with the males. The smallest females are larger than the largest males.

A grasshopper about 1 inch long can leap 20 inches. If a person 5 feet tall could jump that well, he or she could leap from one end of a basketball court to the other.

In addition to leaping, grasshoppers are also known for their musical talents. Many communicate by sound and have unusual ways of making their songs.

The Two-striped Grasshopper is highly adaptable and occupies many habitat types. It prefers habitats with lush vegetation, but is also associated with disturbed sites along roadsides, field borders, gardens, and agricultural sites.

Third Eye Herp
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