There was a minor exposion of Schistocerca nitens nymphs on the African basil today. Ho hum, compared the hoppers seen here, these little guys and the giant leaf destroyers they will become if they survive the mockingbirds, jays and phoebes are boring. What! You say, how could Vanessa the bug-lover ever call a bug boring? Well, I'm just a little sick of these guys right now because they have been chewing holes through my ornamental plants which otherwise would be a knockout right now. So.
By the way, in 2005 the first teeny weeny grasshopper nymphs were recorded on June 24; in 2006 it was June 26. So this year they are a bit early, probably due to the extreme lack of rain and possibly the incredibly warm (100 degrees) temps we had earlier this week.
Anyway, this little guy looks a little fragile, doesn't it? So small, so tentative, so susceptible to a swift flick of the finger. Just kidding; good sport that I am, I left this one and the others sprinkled through the basil in peace and sent good, encouraging vibes to any and all insectivorous predators in the neighborhood.
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