User:SnKn Crunch

Facts about LAMPS

Grasshoppers are both beloved characters in children's stories and despised pests that plague farmers and ranchers. Their songs contribute to the soundtrack of summer. Although grasshoppers are one of the insects we encounter nearly every day, most people know very little about them. Learn more about these fascinating creatures, starting with these 10 facts about grasshoppers.

1. Grasshoppers and locusts are the same thing. Mention grasshoppers, and many people recall pleasant childhood memories of trying to catch them in meadows or backyards.

Say the word locusts, however, and most people think of historic plagues of pests, raining down on farm fields and eating every plant in sight. Truth be told, grasshoppers and locusts are one and the same. Yes, we have some species we've dubbed grasshoppers, and others we call locusts, but essentially we're talking about short-horned members of the order Orthoptera. These jumping herbivores with shorter antennae are grouped in the suborder Caelifera, while their longer-horned brethren (crickets and katydids) belong to the suborder Ensifera.