Grasshopper
Featured in: Year 1: Seasonal changes
Grasshopper
Invertebrate
A brown or green insect that lives in long grass and is known for its amazing jumping.
Seasonal Behaviour:
On a warm, sunny summer's day, you can often hear a 'chirping' sound coming from the grass. This is the sound of male grasshoppers 'singing' to attract a female. They don't use their mouths to sing; they rub their long back legs against their wings, like playing a violin!
💡 Fun Facts
- This special way of making sound is called 'stridulating'.
- Grasshoppers have their 'ears' on their tummies!
- A grasshopper can jump 20 times its own body length. That's like you jumping the length of a bus!
📅 Through the Year
- Active:June to October
Name Story
Chorthippus brunneus
means “the brown grass-horse”
What does its name mean?
- Chorthippus — grass-horseGreek (chortos, 'grass' + hippos, 'horse')
- brunneus — brownLate Latin
What a picture its name paints — a tiny "grass-horse" galloping through the meadow, springing from stalk to stalk on powerful back legs and chirping its summer song.
📄 Educational Handout Available
Download the printable infographic: Grasshoppers vs Crickets