Romalea guttata
| Romalea guttata | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Family: | Romaleidae |
| Genus: | Romalea |
| Species: | R. guttata |
| Binomial name | |
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Romalea guttata (Houttuyn, 1813) |
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Romalea microptera (syn. Romalea guttata), known commonly as the eastern lubber grasshopper or just lubber grasshopper, is a grasshopper native to the southeastern and south central portion of the United States. It is the most distinctive grasshopper species within the southeastern United States, and is well known both for its size and its unique coloration. It can reach nearly 3 inches (8 cm) in size.
It was previously known as Romalea microptera before being moved to guttata (Beauvois). However after new research, the remaining names have been marked as nomen oblitum and microptera takes priority once more.
Romalea guttata goes through several stages, like all insects. When in the nymph stage, it is smaller than in the adult stage, wingless and completely black with one or more yellow, orange or red stripes. In the adult stage, they reach 2.5–3 in (64–76 mm), grow wings half the length of their body and become either a dull yellow often characterized by black spots and markings, a bright orange with black markings, or entirely black (as in the nymph stage) with yellow or red striping. In the black adult color phase, the grasshopper is widely known by the name "diablo" or "black diablo". In Louisiana, they are known as the "Devil's horse" or "cheval-diable". The insect is also colloquially known as a "graveyard grasshopper". In Mississippi they are known as "giant locust".
Romalea guttata inhabits regions west of North Carolina to Tennessee, in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas, and throughout Florida and Arizona. They live in open pinewoods, weedy vegetation and weedy fields. Sometimes these grasshoppers live in sewers, since grass and other food sources accumulate there.
Romalea guttata can reach net 3 in (76 mm) in size. Their wings are rarely ½ the length of the abdomen; most of the time they are much smaller than that, and cannot be used for flight.
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