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The grasshopper orchid (Hymenopus coronatus) is a carnivore that feeds on small insects, such as crickets, moths, flies, and beetles. Orchid grasshoppers use a hunting strategy known as aggressive camouflage. Photo / Done
Their favorite prey or food loves flowers, so the grasshopper orchid pretends to be a flower. This is the perfect way to get an easy dinner.
Grasshoppers orchids, also known as live flowers, inhabit tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia. Here are 5 facts about grasshoppers orchids, summarized by SINDOnews from the Factanimal page, Monday (10/31/2022).
1. Can change color
To survive, the grasshopper orchid must evolve to perfect its disguise. This means that it must be able to merge with its habitat, which is the tropical forest orchids in Southeast Asia. Grasshoppers orchids seem to take a lesson from chameleons by changing colors!
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While you won’t find locust orchids that range from colors like red to blue, they can change from whitish pink to brown. This helps to blend in better with the environment and capture more prey.
2. It can fly
Although they blend perfectly with some types of flowers, the orchid grasshopper doesn’t spend all of its time on the ground. Instead, they actually have two different sets of wings that are perfect for flying.
This helps them to easily switch from one flower to another. It also helps them navigate the rainforest. All grasshoppers have two sets of specialized wings, the first pair known as tegmen. These wings are leathery and help protect the inner wings, which are much more fragile.
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3. The best predators
Despite their small size, orchid grasshoppers are among the most effective hunters in the insect world. Although their diet usually includes smaller insects and spiders, they are not afraid to seek out high-risk prey.
Orchid grasshoppers are known to catch larger prey than themselves. This includes animals like frogs, mice, and even birds!
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4. Can bite
Grasshoppers orchids, like other wildlife, do their best to survive. If something threatens her safety or scares her, she is very likely to bite right away!
Fortunately, orchid locust bites are relatively harmless. They have small mouths and are not poisonous or stinging of any kind. As a result, although the area may be irritated, there is usually nothing to worry about.
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5. Found in West Java
One of the earliest appearances of the grasshopper orchid in the scientific literature can be traced back to James Hingston. In 1879, Hingston traveled through West Java, one of the few places where grasshopper orchids are found naturally.
During his travels, Hingston finds a flower garden and sees flowers that eat butterflies! Of course, at the time, he didn’t know it wasn’t a flower. Instead, it was a hungry orchid mantis that displayed its extraordinary hunting prowess.
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(Spider web)
