Pronunciation: or-THOP-ter-a

Common name(s): grasshoppers, crickets, katydids

Mouthparts: chewing

Wings: 2 pair; 1st pair (mesothoracic) are elongated & thickened (= tegmina); hind wings folded fanwise, membraneous & large

Metamorphosis: paurometabolous

Body characteristics:

slim body
modified fore wings
pronotum "collar" of thorax
legs modified for jumping or running
structure to make and receive sound

Where found: herbivores common in vegetation

Economic impact: serious herbivore pests of many crops; migratory locust a serious transcontinental pest

Size of order: 80,000 species

• Gordon's Entomological Homepage
• University of Arizona Tree of Life Page (Very Interesting Site!)