LIFE OV A GIlASSHOPPElt. 



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The female grasshopper lays amass of eggs (figs. 25, 26) in the ground 

 and shortly after dies. These 

 eggs He in the ground for some 

 weeks and presently each splits 

 and a young insect comes out. 

 This young insect is very small, 

 about twice the length of the 

 eggs, and very active. The 

 general form is like that of the 

 parent ; there are the long legs, 

 the hind pair very large (fig. 27), 

 and the head like that of the 

 grasshopper with similar antennaB and jaws. But there are no wings and 

 the little insect can only leap. It is also quite distinct in colour. It feeds 

 upon green plants just like its parents did and grows larger. Moults take 

 place as in the caterpillar, and at every moult the insect comes out larger 

 and somewhat differently coloured. At the fourth moult (fig. 28) two 

 lobes appear at the upper side of the body, on the second and third 

 segments of the thorax, above the second and third pair of legs. At each 

 later moult these grow larger until with the sixth or seventh, they take 



FIG. 27. 

 Young Insect, one day old. (Magnified five 



FIG. 28. 

 Half-grown Insect. (Magnified twice.) 



the form of the large perfect wings. Our grasshopper (fig. 29) is now 

 full grown and moults no more. It has perfect wings, a fully 

 developed reproductive system, and will presently mate, lay eggs and die. 

 This life history is a great contrast to that of the butterfly; the 

 young is like the parent in general form, feeds in the same manner and 



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