Keep your eyes peeled for the lubber grasshopper

Ed Duke and Sam Hand Florida A&M University Contributor Mid-summer is the time when North Florida residents typically notice the largest numbers of adult eastern lubber grasshoppers. The females are seeking appropriate places to lay their eggs, and their large size and distinctive markings make them easily visible. The eggs which were deposited last year are hatching now after their winter incubation. The newly hatched grasshoppers are half an inch long and black with an orange or yellow stripe on their back running the length of their body. After emerging, these grasshoppers will begin eating their way through the garden and progressively grow larger with each of the five molts