Grasshoppers are insects with long, powerful back legs which they use for jumping. They generally live in dry habitats, such as fields, gardens and meadows, with lots of grass. They are in the suborderCaelifera, which includeslocusts. There are 11,000 species, of which 10,000 are in the familyAcrididae.
To distinguish grasshoppers frombush-crickets orkatydids, they are sometimes referred to as theshort-horned grasshopper. Species which change colour and behaviour at high population densities are calledlocusts.
Grasshoppers prefer to eatgrasses,leaves andcerealcrops, but many grasshoppers are omnivorous.[1] Many grasshoppers eat from several host plants in one day, while others stay on one host plant. One of the 8000 species of grasshopper eats only a single species of plant.[2]
Grasshoppers make good food for some. As an example, in southernMexico,chapulines (grasshoppers of the genusSphenarium) are often eaten. They are high inprotein, minerals andvitamins.
They are usually collected atdusk, using lamps or electric lighting, in sweep nets. Sometimes they are placed in water for 24 hours, after which they can beboiled or eaten raw, sun-dried, fried, flavoured withspices, such asgarlic,onions,chilli, drenched inlime, and used insoup or as a filling for various dishes. They are abundant in Central and Southern Mexican food and streetmarkets.
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