It is late summer, and here in the desert every season or part thereof seems to have its own special insects. Right now there are a lot of different grasshoppers. Some are doing damage in the garden, but others just seem to "be". In the shop/shed construction we find them just sitting on the siding or the windows for hours, seemingly not participating in life.
Here is a Horse Lubber that has been eating the grapevine leaves, or at least he did until I disturbed him to take his picture (he was very reluctant). He is indeed male, as I read, because he flew off, exhibiting beautiful red patches on his wings. Only the males can fly (so what's up with that?). By the way, the Horse Lubber grasshopper gets to be about 2 1/2" long.
The hens loved hunting for grasshoppers in the yard, but after the coyote incident they have all been kept in the chicken yard until we get more fencing to expand their scratching quarters. Now Emma goes after them, and being a Labrador, probably eats them too...
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