A Quick Guide On What Do Grasshoppers Eat

What do Grasshoppers Eat

We all love our garden and yard, mainly the grassy lawn for walking. It also enhances the garden’s beauty and provides an ideal space for an evening walk. Do you know what else adds beauty to the park? Crickets, grasshoppers, and many other tiny creatures whose chirping would please your ears.

You might have often seen grasshoppers when you sit or walk in the park or backyard. But, mostly, grasshoppers are seen on the farm, and farmers don’t want these green insects around. This is because these creatures destroy the crops by feeding them. You will be shocked that they can eat up to 16 times their body weight in crops each day.

With that being said, you must be curious to know – “What do grasshoppers eat?” Well, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will discuss their diet and eating habits.

We will explain in detail what grasshoppers eat and what they don’t. In addition to this, we will explore how they forage their food and what senses they use. Also, we will discuss what adults and baby grasshoppers eat in captivity and wilderness.

Referring to the tale of “The Grasshopper and the Ants,” we can determine that grasshoppers love leisure and hop around singing the sweet summer song while the ants gather their food for winter. In the end, the grasshopper starves. Well, spoiler! In real life, no grasshoppers starve just because they dance around. If you see a grasshopper hopping around, remember they are well fed.

As everyone has taste buds, like grasshoppers have taste buds on their antennae, they get to know about the quality of the food before it is taken into the mouth and crushed with their strong jaws. So let us know a little bit about grasshopper before moving further.

What is a Grasshopper?

Grasshoppers are a group of jumping insects from the suborder Caelifera, found in various habitats. They have six jointed legs, typically ground-dwelling insects with strong hide legs that allow them to escape threats. They have three main body parts- the thorax, the head, and the abdomen. Grasshoppers also occur in the most significant numbers in lowland tropical forests, semi-arid regions, and grasslands. They are in color from green to olive or brown and may have yellow or red markings. There are over 10,000 different grasshopper species. 

They play an important role in the ecological function of serving as food for other animals. But, the question is “What do grasshoppers eat to survive?”

Scientific classification:-

What Do Grasshoppers Eat?

The majority of grasshoppers are herbivores and can eat different types of plants. But sometimes, they tend to pick one plant over others. This is not because they are picky in nature but because of the nutritional content of the plant. Also, some grasshoppers prefer toxic plants. This is because eating these plants stores toxins in their body that helps keep the predators at bay. Let us discuss the types of grasshoppers.

There are mainly two types of grasshoppers-

Rufous (Brown) grasshoppers – They are mainly herbivores. When they are grouped into enormous pests, they can consume more than 100,000 tons of plants daily. Due to their high food demand, they can cause viable damage since some losses have already been confirmed in peanut, soybean, and corn crops, among others.

Green grasshoppers – Additionally, they can eat more vegetables, fruits, or herbs. However, you may also find several predatory or omnivorous animals in this category.

Some grasshoppers are included in the Tettigoniidae family – the common green grasshopper (Tettigonia viridissima) is an example. Their nutritions primarily consist of other animals, such as small insects (caterpillars, mosquitoes, larvae, flies, etc.).

Therefore, grasshoppers can consume any crop and aren’t obnoxious like people. They can also consume wildflowers, petals, and leaves if they can’t find their preferred meal grain to nibble on. Grasshoppers also turn to less nutrient-dense foods like moss, fungus, and bark if they cannot find their sources of sustenance.

They are also called phytophagous animals since they can consume a large amount of plant matter and certain leaves.

Apart from the list given above, they also eat the following foods:

• Oats
• Dead Insects
• Rye
• Barley
• Clover
• Leaves
• Carrion
• Seeds

How does Grasshoppers Hunt for Food?

Now that we have the answer to the question – “What do grasshoppers eat?” let us discuss how they hunt.

Grasshoppers are one of the oldest herbivore insects since they evolved around 250 million years ago. To understand how they hunt for food, it is important to know their body anatomy.

Their sensory system is average as compared to other insects. They possess large eyes on the sides of their head to detect movement, colors, and shapes and measure distance. They also have eyes in front of their head that allows them to detect light. They also have antennae that act as touch receptors and help them smell their food. An external organ on their abdomen enables them to hear. Lastly, their entire body is covered with minute hairs called setae, which act as additional touch receptors and detect wind movement around them.

It is also said that they forage on their own for food sometimes.

What do Grasshoppers Eat in the Wild?

Wild grasshoppers can eat anything to survive. They are not picky eaters and will devour any wild and domestic plants. Hence, they are sometimes considered pests. While out in the open, they can eat everything – from wheat, barley, and rye to toxic plants and leaves. Their body can digest carbohydrates in the crops. Also, they like to nibble on dead animals for protein. Their saliva enzyme helps them to digest the driest plant matter. Also, wild grasshoppers are known as “Opportunistic Diners.”

What do Grasshoppers Eat in Captivity?

Grasshoppers make an interesting pet. It is very soothing to watch them chirp around in a glass bowl. Grasshoppers usually eat fresh grasses and leaves in captivity. They consume every kind of vegetable, grass, and leaves. The Canary grass (Phalaris Arundinacea) and fresh reeds are considered their best diet. They can also be fed – alfalfa, barley, vegetables (spinach, lettuce, cabbage), wheat, etc.

You can also stimulate the food choices for your pet grasshoppers by mixing them up to know what food they would eat in the wilderness.

What do Grasshoppers Eat As Nymphs?

Before adulthood, the nymphs (baby grasshoppers) go through several stages. They are bright green and are a compact version of adult grasshoppers. They eat the same food as the adults. But, as their mandibles do not mature at an early stage, they eat delicate parts of the plants, such as shoots, baby leaves, grasses, and clovers. During their nymph phase, they molt several times until they become adults. With each molt, their mandible becomes stronger, and they can eat more food.

Also, upon molting, many grasshoppers seem to have cannibalism traits.

How do Grasshoppers Eat?

The grasshoppers eat food in small chunks with the help of their mandibles and chew it with their jaw. Their digestive system consists of Foregut (Stomodeum), Midgut (Mesenteron), and Hindgut (Proctadaeum). They produce excess saliva but cannot make an enzyme that helps their food movement in the alimentary canal. The carbohydrate and proteins are digested in the Midgut section (Crop and Ceca). Some grasshoppers have Cellulase that helps break down the plant’s cell wall (Cellulose) and aids digestion.

Do grasshoppers drink water?

Now that you know what grasshoppers eat, you must think, do they drink water to sustain themselves?

The answer is no. Grasshoppers don’t drink water as we do. They get the necessary water intake from the plants they consume. For example, the grass has about 85% water content, making it an excellent option for grasshoppers to feed and hydrate their bodies. 

Grasshopper Life Cycle

The grasshopper life cycle embraces three stages- the egg, the nymph, and the adult. This type of life cycle with three stages is called incomplete metamorphosis. And a complete metamorphosis has four distinct stages.

Wrapping Up!

Now that you know what grasshoppers eat, it will be easier for you to feed them if you have a grasshopper as a pet. They are among the most robust insects in the food chain and have excellent environmental adaptation. You may be interested in this other article Are Cockroach Bites Real? Best 10 Facts About Cockroach Bites.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many different kinds of grasshoppers are there?
Ans:-

2. Do Grasshoppers Bite?

Ans:- Yes, grasshoppers bite, but they are not harmful to humans. Rarely do they bite; if they assemble to form swarms of locusts, they become aggressive and may bite.

3. Do Grasshoppers Drink Water?

Ans:- No, they get the necessary water intake from the plants they consume.

4. Can You Eat Grasshoppers?

Ans:- Yes, people enjoy eating grasshoppers as they are rich in protein. Grasshoppers are eaten in several countries such as – Mexico, China, and other parts of Central America.

5. How long do Grasshoppers live?

Ans:- Grasshopper’s average lifespan is one year.

6. Where do grasshoppers live?

Ans:- Grasshoppers range is medium to giant insects. Adult length is 1 to 7cm. Grasshoppers are found on all continents except Antarctica.