STUDYING AGRASSHOPPER- ATYPICAL INSECT
Materials: A largejar,a square of cheesecloth, a rubberband-anda
grasshopper. You can catch one fairly easily in early summer in an empty
lot or a field.
Follow thisprocedure:Place thegrasshopperin a largejarwith fresh grass
and twigs. Cover thejarwith a pieceofcheesecloth secured by arubberband.
When you seethatthe grass is dying, add fresh grass withdropsof water on
it and fresh twigs. Grassgrowing in a piece ofearthis good for thispurpose
because it will stay fresh longer thancut grass.
Examine thegrasshopperwith yourhandlens.
You will observe:The body ofthe grasshopperhas three distinctparts.
They are called the head, the thorax(the middle part)and theabdomen(the
rearsection). All three sections are covered with a hardsubstance.
You will see a largepairofeyes and apairof delicate"feelers"thatare
calledantennaeat the top of the head. The biting mouthpartsare easy to
findjustat thebottomofthe insect's head.
Attachedto thethoraxare three pairsoflegs and two pairs of wings.
The third, thickestpairof legs is thejumpingpair. The toppairof cover wings
are long andnarrowandratherstiff. The lower wings are delicate,transparent
and fan-like when they are open for flight.
Ifyoulookclosely with yourhandlens at the abdomenofthe animal,
you will see a tinyopeningon eachofthe sections (segments)thatmake up
the rear. These openings exist in pairs, one on each sideofa segment. They
are called trachea, and it is through these openings that the grasshopper
breathes.
Ifthe grasshopperis a female, she will have a long, pointed,divided
segment at the endofherabdomenfordepositingher eggs in the softground.
Ifit is a male, the final segment will bebluntlyrounded.