Egyptian Grasshopper – nymph (Anacridium aegyptium), a photo by Mike at Sea on Flickr.
If it wasn´t for the movement of this wee, green chameleon-like grasshopper I probably would have missed it. It turns out to be a nymph form of the Egyptian Grasshopper (Anacridium augyptium). When in this earlier form they can be this beautiful bright green with dainty white spots and long striped eyes, the latter staying the same throughout all stages of their life. Other juvenile forms can be brown and pale orange. I did see one of those forms but didn´t get any photos.
When they mature they are generally grey, brown or olive. The male is much smaller than the female at up to 3.5cm as opposed to herself at up to 6.5cm. They are quite common in Mediterranean countries. Singly they will do little damage to plants eating various types of leaves as they do. However, what happens if you get an Egyptian style plague? Well, we´ll see, we can separate those waters when we get to them.
