Zonocerus elegans
The Elegant Grasshopper occurs in Africa south of the equator and on Madagascar, and is widespread in our country. Their bright colours serve to deter predators by warning that these grasshoppers are poisonous, bad tasting and foul smelling. Adults measure 4-5 cm in length. As they need not fear being eaten, most Elegant Grasshoppers have almost completely lost their wings and are entirely unable to fly, but occasionally one does come across individuals with relatively well-developed wings – perhaps an expression of recessive genes.
Elegant Grasshoppers are significant agricultural pest, especially for small-scale farmers of fruit and other produce, and gardeners hate them for being able to make quick work of decimating a favoured patch in the garden. Naturally they prefer to feed on poisonous plants such as bitter apple and milkweed, and it is these plant-toxins that gets accumulated in their bodies.
Elegant Grasshoppers breed once a year, in the late summer or early autumn. Females lay their eggs 2 or 3 weeks after mating. These eggs hatch with the first rains of the new season, roughly six months after they were laid, with the nymphs reaching adulthood about two-and-a-half months later.
DeWetsWild 
Not my favourite insects, Dries. When we first arrived in Johannesburg, I used to call them grass-whoppers. I’d never seen such big and to my mind, scary insects. 😳
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I’m right there with you, Sylvia. I’m not afraid of snakes or lions, but just the thought of a big grasshopper crawling up my neck threatens to make me feint. I would’ve thought that Florida has its fair share of scary creepy crawlies though?
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Wow, they are brightly colored!
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They don’t mind being seen!
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Ha!
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the colors are sooo good.
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Real show-offs!
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Such a colorful grasshopper. Too bad it can be bad news to humans and animals alike. Nevertheless, your photos of it are outstanding.
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That is very kind of you to say, thanks Hien. These grasshoppers are best appreciated from a distance.
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I do not know much about grasshoppers but I know that a couple of them are picturesque but when they travel in large quantities they are a serious problem. Thanks, D. 🙂
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Thank goodness these ones don’t have that migrating tendency, H.J. for that would be devastating!
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There is something elegant about them and their facial markings are extraordinary.
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I find grasshoppers in general have very expressive, even “human”, faces.
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I recall photographing these grasshoppers in KZN; I haven’t seen any here yet.
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I’m sure that every plant in that lovely garden of yours is very relieved about that, Anne!
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A beautiful Grasshopper, very colourful.
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Their colours almost makes you forgive them for the destruction they can cause to your garden!
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It is a beautiful grasshopper with nice colors! Have never seen it before.
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Nice to see you again, John! Are you well?
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What marvelous colors, Dries! Definitely elegant.
janet
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Its looks are much more elegant than its manners! 😀
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They are indeed very elegant, Dries, and with that perfect defence they perhaps might rule the world.
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Considering that they also consume everything in their path I suppose they won’t do a worse job than the politicians of the world do now!? 🙂
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You may need to drive over a few million, Dries.
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I won’t ask if you mean a few million grasshoppers or a few million politicians, Tracy! 😀 😀 😀
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Yes and yes. 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Nie baie elegant as dit by vreet kom nie. Hul kan groot verwoesting saai.
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Dit is beslis so, Ineke. Hulle het blykbaar n onblusbare eetlus.
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Hul lewensduur is so kort so hul moet alles uithaal om voort te plant.
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