Tuesday, May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

We are baby Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers -
Look close, there are dozens of us
We can and defoliate many plants and crops
And to some birds and mammals, we are poisonous.

Note: To those who have attended my spider talk, remember the difference between poison and venom. These grasshoppers are harmless to humans and even beneficial - they can defoliate terrible vegetable such as Kale. But to some smaller critters such as birds and small mammals, Lubbers can be poisonous if eaten.

Location: Longleaf Pine Preserve, New Smyrna Beach

Sources: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and-diseases/pests/eastern-lubber-grasshoppers

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

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