Phymateus viridipes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Green milkweed locust | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Feeding on leaves of Acokanthera oppositifolia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Orthoptera |
| Suborder: | Caelifera |
| Family: | Pyrgomorphidae |
| Genus: | Phymateus |
| Species: | P. viridipes |
| Binomial name | |
| Phymateus viridipes Stål, 1873 | |
Phymateus viridipes, also known as the green milkweed locust or African bush grasshopper, is an African locust in the family Pyrgomorphidae (gaudy grasshoppers).
It is about 70 millimetres (2.8 in) long at maturity and capable of long migratory flights. Its body and fore-wings are green in colour while the hind-wings are bright red and blue, presenting a striking appearance in flight.
The pronotum, or dorsal area immediately behind the head, is covered in spines or carbuncles which are often tipped with red.
Development
The nymphs or hoppers are bright yellow and black and highly gregarious, forming large groups during this growth stage and are more or less polyphagous.[1]
