Back to: O level Biology NOTES Uganda syllabus

Classification:

Kingdom ; Animalia

Phylum ; Arthropoda

Class ; Insecta

Order ; Orthoptera

Characteristics

  1. They have well developed mandibles for feeding on solid food.
  2. They have a pair of long antennae.
  3. They have two pairs of straight wings.
  4. They have a pair of compound eyes.
  5. Females have an ovipositor for depositing eggs in the soil.

Life cycle of a grasshopper

The grasshopper undergoes incomplete metamorphosis.After mating, the females lay eggs in a worm moist sand following rain. It pushes its ovipositor and part of the abdomen down into the sand and makes a burrow where it deposits its eggs. In 10-20 days depending on temperature and moisture the eggs hatch into adult-like nymphs, which make their way to the surface.

As the nymphs grow, they shade their cuticle 5 times. The stage between each moult is called an instar. Each instar lasts for 4-5 days except for the 5thinstar, which lasts for 8 days. The nymphs feed on leaves and stems of vegetation. After the 5thinstar, the nymphs change into adults. The adults become mature after five weeks and start laying eggs and the cycle repeats.

Economic importance of grasshoppers

  1. They are eaten as food.
  2. They are a delicacy to many cultures.
  3. They feed on vegetation and act as pests.
  4. They are used for study purposes.