Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

Romalea microptera

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Orthoptera
Suborder: Caelifera
Family: Romaleidae
Genus: Romalea
Species: microptera

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Romalea microptera: //ˌroʊˈmɑːliə ˌmaɪˈkrɒptərə//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Summary

Romalea microptera, also known as the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, is a distinctive species native to the Southeastern United States, notable for its large size and bright coloration, which serves as a warning to predators. This flightless grasshopper is herbivorous and reproduces annually, laying eggs in the soil.

Physical Characteristics

Adult males 45-55 mm long, adult females 50-70 mm long, can exceptionally reach 90 mm. Distinguished by huge size and vivid yellow/red/black coloration, with hind wings red bordered black. Dark red to black nymph (juvenile) with contrasting yellow to red stripes. Wings are rarely half the length of the abdomen and cannot be used for flight.

Identification Tips

Romalea microptera is distinguished by its large size and vivid coloration. The coloration is aposematic, warning potential predators of its distastefulness. No other species in its habitat is likely to be confused with it.

Habitat

Open pine woods, fields, roadsides, lawns, croplands, especially moist areas.

Distribution

Southeastern United States, including all of Florida, west of North Carolina to Tennessee, in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas, and throughout Florida, Missouri, and Arizona.

Diet

Favorite foods include Pokeweed (Phytolaca americana), Tread-softly (Cnidoscolus stimmulosus), Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata), Lizard's Tail (Saururus sp.), Sedges (Cyperus), and Arrowhead (Sagittaria sp.).

Life Cycle

There is one generation per year. Females lay masses of about 50 eggs in soil excavations about 5 cm deep. Eggs overwinter in the soil, with hatching in early spring. Five juvenile instars, each lasting about 20 days.

Reproduction

Females lay one to three separate masses of eggs during the summer.

Predators

Although many predatory vertebrates avoid Romalea microptera due to its toxicity, it is not protected from predatory invertebrates.

Ecosystem Role

R. microptera has a notable role in the ecosystem as a herbivore and contributes to the food web as prey for other organisms despite its defenses.

Cultural Significance

Common names include Georgia Thumper and Florida lubber. In Louisiana, known as 'devil's horse', and in Mississippi as 'giant locust.'

Evolution

Romalea is a genus of grasshoppers native to the Southeastern and South-central United States and traditionally contains a single species, but recent authorities regard Taeniopoda as a synonym.

Similar Taxa

Taeniopoda eques