Day 1: The Everglades
One of the most prominently found species on the Anhinga Trail in South Florida was the Lubber Grasshopper, also called the Romalea Guttata. The thing about these vibrant species is that they like to... get it on. Every step we took into the Everglades was another step past a pair of mating Lubbers! People were more enamoured with these insects than the American Alligators that were coasting around. Due to this sensual activity, the population is skyrocketing and causing harm to some plant and citrus crops in Florida. The photo below of the happy couple is one I took today on the trail.
These Lubbers get their name from being quite clumsy and lackadaisical. Due to this designation, it's easy to say that they are Lubbers not fighters but once highly provoked these insects can cause some damage. They are known to hiss and secrete a potent odor and at times spray a toxic chemical. Where we visited today mostly had the bright orange colored Lubbers but can vary in color and size. The type shown below are usually found in Northern Florida but can also be seen throughout the region.
The Romalea Guttata begin their life cycle as eggs with their 25-50 siblings after their parents do the deed. Once they hatch, they emerge as nymphs and are usually solid black in color with some yellow, orange, or red striping. Seeing these insects in such massive numbers really made it believable that they could destroy entire farms at a time. When you sat silent in the Anhinga Trail you could hear them communicating with one another to ward against predators and to attract mates.
Today was a great introduction into the Florida Everglades and started us off on an intriguing journey! I can not wait for what tomorrow holds when we set sail to tag the oceans most dangerous predator... the shark! Keep reading throughout this week to see what other interesting adventures us Tropical Ospreys encounter!
#Lubbernotafighter #StocktonUniversity #AnhingaTrail #TropicalOspreys2017
Yeah! They were everywhere we went and I remember seeing other tourists wanting to catch them for fun when we were on the trail, little children even. I hope they didn't get sprayed with the toxic chemicals, because that would be one bad vacation day!
ReplyDeleteSome people in our group were kicking them off of the trail into the water! They were everywhere!
ReplyDeleteThese are honestly one of the most beautiful insects I have ever seen. They might have been everywhere but their colors stood out and made an amazing environment so much more colorful.
ReplyDeleteThis looked like a cricket invasion walking down the trails of the Everglades. I couldn't help myself from flicking these things, but every time I did they seemed to land on their feet and stick to other surfaces. I think a horror film could be made out of these critters in the right context.
ReplyDeleteThey look like they would be fun to stomp on. It's too bad there aren't any around here.
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