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Pseudoxya diminuta
Pseudoxya diminuta Walker, 1871. This congregation of Rice Grasshopper nymphs is the largest I have encountered. There were 51 nymphs in the main group and some smaller groups of 2 or 3 just a few inches away. P. diminuta belongs to the Family Acrididae; Subfamily Oxyinae.
These were spotted in our garden at around 8.00 a.m. They were basking in the early sunlight on the leaves of an Acai Berry plant (Euterpe oleracea). This species is quite common here and I have often seen them on Sunflowers (Helianthus sp.), but I have spotted them most often on St. Vincent Plum (Gliricidia sepium) which appears to be their favourite host plant in this vicinity.
Groups of Grasshoppers are generally referred to by the use of the collective noun "Cloud", but this only seems to make sense to me if they are in flight. When I have come across groups of flightless nymphs, I have tended to jot them down using the collective "Congregation". It just seems more appropriate.
Spotted on Mar 20, 2022
Submitted on Mar 21, 2022
4 Comments
Hi Mark Ridgway, thanks for the comment.
Hi Leuba Ridgway, thank you for your comment.
They are so cute -how can you get cross with them ! Your garden sounds wonderful btw.
If a cloud is on the ground we call it a 'Fog'
8-D