Red Legged Grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum)
In August, every step you take through the long grass causes a wave of grasshoppers to hop away from you. Grasshoppers are just everywhere and in the late summer they are one of the most prominent animals around. The other animal I expect to encounter about this time of year are the Orb Weavers, particularly the Black and Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia). There should be dozens sitting prominently in the middle of large webs spanning gaps in the vegetation, but this year I haven't seen a single one. Where have all the Orb Weavers gone?
I was at Macoun Marsh this summer and Michael L. (who gave a tour there) said that the students have found pink grasshoppers! I'm going to keep my eye out for them - had never heard of that before!
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