Grasshoppers are found in most parts of the world. To know what they eat, read up on...
Grasshopper is a type of insect that belongs to the order Orthoptera and suborder Caelifera. There are approximately 10,000 types of grasshoppers. They come in a wide variety of colors. So, what do grasshoppers eat? Many species of grasshoppers are usually herbivores and feed on a variety of plants. Some species feed only on grass.
Some grasshoppers prefer one food source, such as alfalfa or corn. But when food is deficient, they tend to eat a wide variety of plants, trees and shrubs. They often feed on vegetables and field crops, especially oats, wheat and barley.
During severe outbreaks, they tend to eat anything, including shrubs and trees. Some long-horned grasshoppers eat dead animals or other insects.
Grasshoppers eat almost everything in the plant world, from green grass to vegetables in the garden such as carrots, lettuce and broccoli. Locusts and other species of grasshoppers cause major disaster to crops. Swarms of grasshoppers feed on crops, costing the farmers thousands of dollars.
You will be surprised to know that a grasshopper can eat its own weight in food in about 16 hours, or that seven grasshoppers per square yard over 10 acres, can eat the same food as one cow does. A grasshopper bites its food into tiny chunks, using teeth that are on the outer side of its mouth; then the food is moved to its mouth and swallowed.