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Why do eastern lubbers have little to fear?

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The eastern lubber (Romalea microptera Beauvois) is an unmistakable grasshopper. The males can grow to 5.5 centimeters (2 inches); the females to 7.0 cm (2 ¾ inches). The nymph stage is black with a yellow or red stripe down its back. In northern Florida, the adults remain dark with yellow markings; in southern Florida, the adults are golden tan with a red stripe down each forewing.

Grasshopper in Florida Everglades,
Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Greg Johnston
Buy Photographic Print at AllPosters.com

Hatching near wetlands, lubbers will find their way to crops or gardens. Although these grasshoppers can and do eat many plants, they show a preference for certain species. In the wild, the plants of choice are swamp lily (Crinum americanum), arrowhead (Sagittaria spp.), pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), and finger-rot (Cnidoscolus stimulosus). In the garden, lubbers defoliate Amaryllis and split-leaf philodendrons (Monstera deliciosa). These lubber delicacies all contain various toxins which usually deter herbivores.

Frank N. Young (Everglades Natural History, June 1953) related an incident when raising three young screech owls. "Their appetites were so good that the concerted efforts of several people were necessary to keep them supplied with insect food. In our wanderings we chanced upon a small group of the brilliantly black and red nymphs of the lubberly locust, and their abundance suggested that we had the owl-food problem temporarily solved. The little owls ate voraciously....Within a few minutes all three were obviously indisposed and vomited....No amount of persuasion...could make them swallow more of the lubberlies."

Lubbers cannot fly and seldom move when disturbed, they have little to fear. When they feel threatened, they whirr their useless wings, hiss, and secrete a disgusting-smelling foam from their spiracles. The liquid contains the cleverly named, 'grasshopper ketone', which probably accounts for the smell.

Young stated, "Its principle enemies are automobiles, small boys, and parasites...so nauseating that even chickens reject it...."

The Olga Fleisher Ornithological Foundation, Inc. has wonderful wildlife photographs. To view a photograph of the lubber taken by Christopher M. Neumann, click on the link:

http://www.ofofinc.org/Photo_links/lilly_grasshopper.htm

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