Chris Connolly Photography

Grasshopper

Grasshoppers jump by catapulting themselves into the air. If humans could jump the way grasshoppers do, we could easily leap the length of a football field or more. How do they jump so far? It’s all in those big back legs. A grasshopper’s hind legs function like miniature catapults. When it wants to jump, the grasshopper contracts its large flexor muscles slowly, bending its hind leg at the knee joint. A special piece of cuticle within the knee acts as a spring, storing up all that potential energy. When the grasshopper is ready to jump, it relaxes the leg muscles, allowing the spring to release its energy and catapulting its body into the air. Grasshoppers can also fly. Because grasshoppers have such powerful jumping legs, people sometimes just don’t realize that they have wings, too! Most grasshoppers are pretty strong fliers, and will make good use of their wings to escape predators. Their jumping ability just gives them a boost into the air. Grasshoppers have ears in their bellies. The auditory organs are in an unusual location – on their abdomens. On each side of the first abdominal segment, tucked under the wings, you’ll find membranes that vibrate in response to sound waves. This simple eardrum allows the grasshopper to hear the songs of its fellow grasshoppers.

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Image Size: 5616x3744 / 5.7MB; chris connolly macro photography clane kildare ireland "sony world photography" "national winner" "world photography organisation" award "chris connolly photography" grasshopper insect wildlife bug heritage "national heritage week" exhibition "biodiversity ireland" "biodiversity exhibition" "irish wildlife trust" irishtv "irish tv" "kildare county council" "macro photography ireland" grass hopper
Contained in galleries: Macro : Wildlife

Grasshoppers jump by catapulting themselves into the air. If humans could jump the way grasshoppers do, we could easily leap the length of a football field or more. How do they jump so far? It’s all in those big back legs. A grasshopper’s hind legs function like miniature catapults. When it wants to jump, the grasshopper contracts its large flexor muscles slowly, bending its hind leg at the knee joint. A special piece of cuticle within the knee acts as a spring, storing up all that potential energy. When the grasshopper is ready to jump, it relaxes the leg muscles, allowing the spring to release its energy and catapulting its body into the air. Grasshoppers can also fly. Because grasshoppers have such powerful jumping legs, people sometimes just don’t realize that they have wings, too! Most grasshoppers are pretty strong fliers, and will make good use of their wings to escape predators. Their jumping ability just gives them a boost into the air. Grasshoppers have ears in their bellies. The auditory organs are in an unusual location – on their abdomens. On each side of the first abdominal segment, tucked under the wings, you’ll find membranes that vibrate in response to sound waves. This simple eardrum allows the grasshopper to hear the songs of its fellow grasshoppers.