Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 15, 2009 8:09:11 GMT -5
Howdy folks, OK, I know things get big here in Texas but this feller is still a baby and is already more than two inches on body length and more than twice that across the legs! I really like the colors too. I want to find a rock this color and I really want to see a full grown example. Anyway, a couple of pics. Closer look:
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Post by Tonyterner on Jul 15, 2009 8:25:43 GMT -5
Wow he is really colorful. We get just your normal looking grasshoppers here but some can get large, maybe 5 inches end to end.
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Post by NatureNut on Jul 15, 2009 8:44:40 GMT -5
He is too cool!
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Post by texaswoodie on Jul 15, 2009 8:56:32 GMT -5
That reminds me of back in the day when a friend of mine had a, ahem, crop. Huge grasshoppers all over eating the crop. You could just reach out and pick them up.
I picked one up one day and it said "Dude, there's enough for everyone. Leave us alone."
Curt
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 15, 2009 9:25:33 GMT -5
Looked this one up and it is only half grown. This species, Neobarrettia spinosa, the Gigantic Texas Grasshopper, apparently reaches a size of at least nine inches long. Wow!...Mel
*L* I was looking at this a picture some more and was wondering about the extra long antennae so I did more research. The site I found was incorrect. it's not a grasshopper at all but rather a Greater Arid-Land Katydid and is actually a predatory species that hunts other insects. Cool!
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Post by Tonyterner on Jul 15, 2009 11:12:01 GMT -5
Yikes! Well things in Texas are bigger right? ;D
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2009 15:30:09 GMT -5
Curt...........HAHAHA
Great pics Mel. We only get drab grayish/greenish hoppers here. And they are small, maybe a couple of inches total length.
Shan
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Post by MyNewHobby on Jul 15, 2009 17:57:32 GMT -5
If I had come across this little guy .... I would gone into cardiac arrest. I have this thing about anything with more legs than me. Julie
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Post by Bejewelme on Jul 15, 2009 19:09:00 GMT -5
Mel: That rates up there with the the yucky spiders!!! Gross!!! But I know you like them!
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Post by sitnwrap on Jul 16, 2009 8:19:21 GMT -5
Boy that is a close up. That jaw looks pretty fierce.
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Rogue Trader
freely admits to licking rocks
"Don't cry because you are leaving, smile because you were there."
Member since December 2008
Posts: 839
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Post by Rogue Trader on Jul 16, 2009 8:24:30 GMT -5
If I had come across this little guy .... I would gone into cardiac arrest. I have this thing about anything with more legs than me. Julie Doggies out the question then?
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huffstuff
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2007
Posts: 1,222
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Post by huffstuff on Jul 16, 2009 12:20:09 GMT -5
Very cool looking but I will FREAK OUT if I ever see one 9" long that isn't in a museum or zoo.... Amy
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Rogue Trader
freely admits to licking rocks
"Don't cry because you are leaving, smile because you were there."
Member since December 2008
Posts: 839
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Post by Rogue Trader on Jul 16, 2009 13:02:38 GMT -5
Very cool looking but I will FREAK OUT if I ever see a grass hopper 9" long that isn't in a museum or zoo....
Amy Amy, I've fixed and amended your post accordingly
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Post by frane on Jul 16, 2009 21:14:33 GMT -5
That is so cool! Some of the hoppers there are really big and when they eat, you can hear it. That is what always freaked me out when they would swarm your yard! Luckily, it didn't happen too much! Fran
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10thumbs
spending too much on rocks
I want to be reincarnated as a dog.
Member since March 2009
Posts: 480
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Post by 10thumbs on Jul 22, 2009 8:10:32 GMT -5
There is a predacious species of katydid that mimics the sound of a female cicada. When the males cicadas show up for a booty call it turns into a dinner date.
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highplainsdrifter
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,266
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Post by highplainsdrifter on Jul 22, 2009 12:08:15 GMT -5
He looks like Ocean Jasper
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