All Grasshoppers have three main body parts, the head, the thorax and the abdomen. Grasshoppers have six jointed legs, two pairs of wings and two antennae. Their body is covered with a hard exoskeleton. Grasshoppers breathe through a range of holes called ‘spiracles’ which are along the sides of there body. Most grasshoppers are green, brown or olive green. The largest grasshoppers are about 11.5 centimetres long. The grasshoppers long back legs are used for hopping and jumping. Their short front legs are used to hold prey and to walk. Grasshopper

The Grasshoppers Body

ABDOMEN – the tail of a cricket, which holds the heart, reproductive organs and most of the digestive system. THORAX – the middle part of the cricket’s body where the legs and wings are attached. HEAD – the head is at the front of a crickets body and is the location of the brain, the mouth parts, the two compound eyes and the points of attachment of its two antennae. Most Crickets are brown or black. Crickets are very similar to grasshoppers but the cricket's antennae are very long, the wings are held flat over the body, and the ovipositor is very long. Cricket

The Crickets Body

First of the life of an Orthopteran (Grasshopper & Crickets) is: The female lays an amount of eggs that is dug in a hole in the ground, Then the female covers around the babies which then forms into a waterproof pod Where it is protected. After about two weeks it turns into a nymph. The Nymph is a young grasshopper adult but without wings, It changes it skin colour a lot of times until four to seven weeks, Which grows a new exoskeleton body every time it changes, this is called moulting. Eventually the wings will grow on the Nymph. The grasshopper has a lot of body parts different to the Nymph, The grasshopper’s top part of the body is called the Femur, which has very strong muscles. There is also the bottom part of the grasshopper which is called the Tibia where it’s spine in the back of the Orthoptera is very sharp at the end of it!

Grasshoppers and crickets (Orthoptera) live in many different habitats, from rocky coastlines, underground burrows, caves, to the tops of trees in rainforests and high mountain peaks. Others prefer wetlands, with some species living right on the shores of ponds, streams, lakes and rivers. A few species actually live in water. Many other species live in meadows, grasslands and deserts.

Orthopterans live in nearly all the countries, Orthopterans live in grassland or woodland, some live in the sand dunes or live on a cliff. Most Orthopterans live in the tropics; there are around 700 species of Orthopterans in Europe – mainly in the south – and 30 species live in Britain. Their preference for warmer weather is also seen in the fact that only around half a dozen species are found as far north as Scotland. There are about 900 species of Crickets and 18,000 species of Grasshopper and 20,000 species of Orthopterans.

WHERE ARE THEY IN THE FOOD CHAIN? The Orthoptera is very early in the food chain, first is the sun, which makes the grass grow and the Grasshopper’s eat the grass but get eaten by the frog as show above.

An Orthopteran’s role in the environment is they plant about ten percent of a thing called BIOMASS and also when they die the nutrients in their body turn into soil so that it helps the plants grow. Biomass means: the amount of living matter in a given habitat, used either as the weight of nature on the amount of area or the volume of the environment on each amount of volume for habitat.

There are about 3000 species of Orthopteran ’ s in Australia And they are mostly up in the tropics i.e. Queensland and Darwin! Here are some species in this table below: NameCharacteristicsWhere Found Sandgropers Are burrowing insects that live on a farm. Western Australia Dingo or Cooloola Monsters No wings, And are burrowing insects that can’t fly. Western Australia Mole Crickets Spend most of their lives underground in tunnels. Victoria Katydids Camouflage with shapes and coloured leafs. Darwin Tree Crickets They live in Trees and shrubs. New South Wales

Raspy Crickets They are wingless and live in sand and silk burrows. New South Wales True Crickets Has a large antennae several times longer than it’s body. Most of Australia Yellow Winged Locust Has yellow and black wings and is very loud when flying. Most of Australia Name Characteristics Where Found

Orthopterans are often to more harmful then beneficial, when it comes to their interaction with vegetation and crops, but whether they are indeed harmful or beneficial it depends on what species they are. As an insect that only eats plants, Orthopterans will feed on any vegetation that is available to them. Their populations thrive in warmer, drier seasons, and they can generate substantial crop damage, especially if other food sources are scarce. However, some species survive on grass, and thus don't destroy crops or other vegetation. Orthopterans cannot survive the cold. As herbivores, Orthopterans are beneficial to the environment. Their droppings return nutrients to the earth, acting as fertilizer for the local vegetation. Also, Orthopterans are favorite foods to the birds, rodents and other creatures, they help other populations survive.

Grasshoppers have many ways to protect themselves. One way is by leaping. With their leaps, they can often jump away from their enemies. The grasshoppers just leap up and fly away. A grasshopper’s colouring may also help to protect it. Some grasshoppers blend right in with their surroundings. Often, brightly coloured grasshoppers are poisonous. The grasshopper’s bright colours warn enemies to back off! Grasshoppers spit to protect themselves. When a grasshopper is handled, it spits out brown liquid which helps to keep enemies away.

1. The largest Grasshopper is about 11.5 centimetres. 2. The 3 main body parts of a Orthopteran is the Head, Thorax and the Abdomen. 3. The Pygmy Grasshopper is the smallest grasshopper of them all, it's size is around 1.5cm long! 4. There are around 900 species of Crickets and 18,000 species of Grasshoppers 5. The name Orthoptera originated from the Greek "ortho" meaning straight and "ptera" meaning wing. 1. The largest Grasshopper is about 11.5 centimetres. 2. The 3 main body parts of a Orthopteran is the Head, Thorax and the Abdomen. 3. The Pygmy Grasshopper is the smallest grasshopper of them all, it's size is around 1.5cm long! 4. There are around 900 species of Crickets and 18,000 species of Grasshoppers 5. The name Orthoptera originated from the Greek "ortho" meaning straight and "ptera" meaning wing.

6. Most grasshoppers species eat plants, either fresh or dry where as crickets actively hunt insects or similar prey. 7. Most Orthopterans can't last in the winter because it is to cold for them to live. 8. The Cricket ear are on it’s legs. 9. Grasshoppers have more power with their back legs to jump. 10. The biggest Orthopteran is the Weta Giant.