Boy finds rare pink grasshopper in Britain
What looked like a flower turned out to be a surprising find – a common green grasshopper that had been born pink.
By Stephanie RogersMon, Sep 14 2009 at 11:56 AM EST
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Photo: APEX He saw a flash of pink and thought it was a flower – until it jumped. Wildlife officials in Britain confirmed that what the boy found was an adult female common green grasshopper that was born pink.
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11-year-old Daniel Tate was attending a wildlife event at Seaton Marshes, near Sidmouth, Devon when he spotted the rare insect.
"I thought it was a flower but I saw it moving, so I tried to catch it. It jumped and then I knew it was a grasshopper. I was really excited to hear that no one else had found a pink grasshopper at that place before.”
While adult male green grasshoppers are nearly always green, females can come in a rainbow of shades, usually in the brown or purple color families.
"Pink grasshoppers are unusual but not unheard of. However the intensity of the pink in this case must make it highly unusual," said Fraser Rush, nature reserves officer for East Devon District Council. Rush added that the pink grasshopper may pass on its unusual coloring to its offspring.
The green grasshopper isn’t the only insect to occasionally come in such a shockingly bright shade of pink. Environmental Graffiti reveals a stunning array of pink six-legged creatures including the katydid, pink mantis, leafhoppers and rose dragonflies.
Dragonfly found in Hong Kong. (Photo: jenhancock/Flickr)
Katydid found in Ecuador. (Photo: plantypics/Flickr)
Raspberry Wave Moth found in Florida. (Photo: smccann/Flickr)
Praying mantis. (Photo: mickeymox/Flickr)
Grasshopper found in Corsica. (Photo: fmorgen/Flickr)
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Comments
I found a pink grasshopper in Houma, Louisiana.
06/20/2011 22:25 PM
I found a pink grasshopper while I was at a friends house in Houma, Louisiana. I went outside to smoke a cigarette and there it was on the front of the door. It was a lite shade of pink and was missing it's right back leg. At first I thought I was seeing things....but sure enough, it was pink. I thought I might have struck gold for finding something so rare. I have heard of rare albino lobsters that are worth 20,0000.00. So I went on the net to find if they even existed....and they do. So, i'm.... More
Kid in Romania
06/14/2010 06:42 AM
I just found a pink grasshopper here in Cluj, Romania in my backyard!
Kyndal
10/06/2009 19:53 PM
That kid must be really lucky for having alll that attention for finding a pink grasshopper!
Maurie
09/30/2009 12:17 PM
That kid has got to be hooked now! And it never would have happened if he hadn't been doing that program!
Kayla
03/22/2010 17:32 PM
I have 2 grasshoppers. They live in newspaper I feed them onion and grass. The only thing I need to know now is:
How can you tell a boy grasshopper from a girl grasshopper?
Can any of you guys help?
kinnear.julie
09/17/2009 03:21 AM
Oh my, I never thaught how cute grasshoppers can be. I always hated insects but make them pink and...well, I still wouldn't touch it:)
Grey Garvin
09/16/2009 11:26 AM
I used to loll around the front yard and look for anything I could find that would amaze the kids in the neighborhood....i mostly looked for 4-leaf clovers but a pink grasshopper would have freaked them out! Lucky kid.
Pamela Drake
09/16/2009 11:24 AM
...a locust-like insect....destroying crops...but they're actually a top food source for birds .....and, in parts of Africa & Asia, they're a staple of human diet as well.
Anonymous
09/16/2009 10:58 AM
As mucial artist, "Pink" would say, "Please Don't Leave Me" -- what a cool color and fantastic insect! Makes you want to slow down and smell the roses a bit more often. Never know what you are going to find!
