Ghost of a Grasshopper

Ghost of a grasshopper

No, Mr. Grasshopper has not yet died and got himself stuck in limbo, rather this picture "Ghost of a Grasshopper" is really the shed exoskeleton of the common locust! In case you have forgotten we found a grasshopper in our garden a couple of days back! To make a long story short, mum wanted me to kill it but I didnt' have the heart to squish it and I couldn't throw it away because they always fly back so I kept it, and it looks like Mr. Grasshopper is now going through puberty!

Incomplete Metamorphosis Diagram

A grashopper's life begins in stages, though quite unlike that of a butterfly. A baby grasshopper is called a nymph and it often resembles nothing so much as a full grown grasshopper though many times smaller and without wings! To grow bigger, a grasshopper sheds its skin or exoskeleton. After the fourth moult, the grasshopper nymph begins to develop wing nubs near its shoulder blades and after the fifth time, it is a full grown grasshopper on its own. Now, if you recall from my earlier post, I don't really like grasshoppers and I kept this one with the pure hope that I might begin to grow to like it (and hopefully them?) with time.

But as you can see... they only just get uglier and uglier with age... sigh. I guess the next, most humane thing to do will be to take him with me to University and release him there. Speaking of University though, guess who just got a request to perform Sun and Moon from Miss Saigon the musical? That's right! And although I'll be more of a teacher this year, and an Honour's student to boot, I can't wait to re-offer my services to the Monash Performing Arts Club which I worked myself to the bone for!