Grasshoppers are common insects found across diverse habitats. These arthropods are primary consumers, feeding on plants and forming a significant part of many food webs. Their abundance and nutritional value render them a frequent food source for numerous animals. Their role in the ecosystem makes them a target for many predators.
Common Predators of Grasshoppers
Many animals rely on grasshoppers as a food source, consuming them at various life stages. Birds are among the most prominent predators, with over 200 species known to prey on grasshoppers. Larger species like kestrels, gulls, and meadowlarks can consume over 100 grasshoppers daily, while Swainson’s hawks gather in large flocks to feed on abundant populations. Even seed-eating birds, such as sparrows and cardinals, depend on insects like grasshoppers for protein, especially when feeding their young.
Amphibians and reptiles actively hunt grasshoppers. Frogs and toads, often found near water sources, use their sticky tongues for quick capture, with some, like the horned frog, employing ambush tactics. Snakes, particularly those in the Colubridae family, hunt grasshoppers using their vision and sense of smell, sometimes even scaling plants. Lizards, including chameleons and anoles, are skilled at capturing grasshoppers from the ground or low foliage, with chameleons utilizing their long, sticky tongues for distance strikes.
Small mammals, often opportunistic omnivores, include grasshoppers in their diet. Shrews, with high metabolism, consume many insects, including grasshoppers; mice and rats also prey on them. Larger mammals like raccoons, foxes, and coyotes also eat grasshoppers, especially at night when many species are active. Hedgehogs and opossums also supplement their diet with these insects.
Insects and arachnids are significant grasshopper predators, preying on them at different life stages. Ground beetles, field crickets, and the larvae of blister beetles and bee flies consume grasshopper eggs. Nymphs and adult grasshoppers are hunted by predatory insects like praying mantises and assassin bugs with their piercing mouthparts. Robber flies are aggressive predators that capture grasshoppers in flight, injecting enzymes to dissolve their internal organs before consuming them. Spiders, including wolf spiders and orb-weavers, also actively hunt or trap grasshoppers in their webs. Beyond direct predation, some parasitic flies and wasps lay eggs on or inside grasshoppers; the larvae then consume the grasshopper from within.
Grasshopper Defense Mechanisms
Grasshoppers employ various strategies to avoid becoming prey.
Camouflage is a primary defense, allowing them to blend with their environment. Their coloration, typically green or brown, matches vegetation or soil, making them difficult for predators to spot. Some species can even change their body color to adapt to seasonal changes in their surroundings, such as turning straw-toned in dry seasons and green after rains.
When detected, grasshoppers rely on their powerful hind legs for rapid escape. They can launch themselves meters, covering distances many times their body length. This powerful jump is often followed by flight, as many species have wings, allowing them to quickly fly away from danger. Some grasshoppers enhance this escape by making a crackling or buzzing sound, known as crepitation, combined with a flash of brightly colored hind wings to startle predators.
Certain grasshopper species use warning displays or sounds to deter attackers. While not all grasshoppers have aposematic (warning) coloration, some toxic species display vivid colors to signal unpalatability to predators. Non-toxic species may mimic these colors for similar protection. Stridulation, rubbing body parts together to produce sound, is primarily used for courtship, but some grasshoppers also use it defensively, especially when handled.
Chemical defenses provide another layer of protection. When harassed, many grasshopper species regurgitate a brown, distasteful fluid, sometimes called “tobacco spit,” from their mouths. This acidic, smelly substance can stain and deter predators. Some species also produce a foul-smelling glandular excretion or sequester toxic chemicals from their plant diet, making them unappetizing or harmful.