【Largest Locust Species】Red-legged Grasshopper Insect Specimen Orthoptera Mantis

Scientific Name: Tropidacris cristata

Tropidacris cristata is a species of grasshopper in the family Acrididae, widely distributed in tropical regions of South America and Central America, as well as Mexico. It is one of the largest grasshoppers in the world in terms of body length and wingspan, reaching up to 14.5 cm and 24 cm respectively. More common adult body lengths are 5.5–7 cm (average 6.5 cm) for males and 7–12 cm (average 11 cm) for females. Adults of the common name T. cristata have conspicuous red hindwings during flight, though the exact shade of red varies by subspecies. Flightless, gregarious nymphs have warning coloration of dark and yellow stripes and are presumed to be toxic.

T. cristata inhabits a wide range of habitats, from lowlands to highlands. In the southern part of its range, it is primarily restricted to humid and subhumid forest habitats, avoiding open dry areas, but in the northern part of its range, it also inhabits somewhat drier habitats. It is generally very common, although in areas of its range where T. collaris with blue hindwings overlaps, T. collaris is often more common (T. cristata is found only in parts of northwestern South America and Central America).
T. cristata is considered a pest in some areas due to its consumption of many types of plants. Its life cycle is annual with overlapping generations, but in some regions there is seasonality in the occurrence of adults and nymphs. Females lay egg pods containing up to 100 eggs in the soil.

(South to Nicaragua)
Tropidacris cristata grandis (Thunberg, 1824) Central and Southern South America (Northernmost Argentina, Uruguay, Easternmost Paraguay, Southern and Southeastern Brazil. There are few records from the Amazon River, where Tropidacris cristata normally lives)

We will ship the individual shown in the picture.
My measurement indicated a body length of approximately 95mm.
We apologize, but we cannot guarantee against downgrading due to shipping. Thank you for your understanding.