Grasshopper parasite?

mtuell · Post by **mtuell** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 12:20 pm

I found a large (70 mm long) grasshopper yesterday. It was still moving, but several hours later, it seemed dead, so I put it in a container and brought it home. Under the microscope last night it seemed to be moving a bit - I couldn't figure out if it was vibration or air currents or if it was actually still alive.

This morning, I looked again, and there was still motion, in fact it seemed to have moved on the stage. Then I noticed what appeared to be larvae of some sort crawling around. I captured six of them, but didn't see a hole in the grasshopper that they were coming out of. The abdomen appears to be an empty shell at this point. I see that wasps can lay eggs in critters such as this. I'm wondering if that is what they are. I don't think they are young grasshoppers, but I could be wrong.

I also noticed a perfectly centered feature under it's "chin" that I couldn't ID in grasshopper anatomy diagrams. I'll try to get a picture of it that is decent. It is like a small stalk with "hairs" coming out of it. I was wondering if it was a fungal infection, and indeed grasshoppers can get such a thing, but this looked a bit different than the pictures I saw.

Ahh, the wonders of nature!

Mike

mtuell · Post by **mtuell** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 12:54 pm

The "chin" feature was moving making a stack difficult - as noted earlier. I'm not sure if it is part of the grasshopper or some type of parasite or growth or what. Weird...

This is 5x BD darkfield, not macro.

Mike

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 2:45 pm

As they kill the grasshopper they are called "parasitoids".

These are fly (Diptera) maggots (larvae). Most likely of a Tachinid Fly, but I believe some Sarcophagid flies also attack grasshoppers.

mtuell · Post by **mtuell** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 3:31 pm

Thanks! I had a feeling that was what I was looking at.

I'll have to work some more, perhaps it will change with time, the protuberance between the front legs, just below the "chin".

Mike

Lou Jost · Post by **Lou Jost** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 3:46 pm

Take care of those things, they will probably hatch and you'll get to see the adult. Don't let them dry out. Maybe give them very slightly moist sand to burrow in.

mtuell · Post by **mtuell** » Fri Nov 11, 2016 7:39 pm

Thanks, Lou, I'll do that.

I must say, I'm glad I put the grasshopper back into a container... a whole bunch more maggots emerged as I watched basketball! (Go Cats!)

Mike