Variegated Grasshopper vs South African Cave Cricket
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Variegated Grasshopper | South African Cave Cricket |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Zonocerus variegatus | Speleiacris tabulae |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Pyrgomorphidae | Rhaphidophoridae |
| Size | 30-50mm | 12-18 mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Caves |
| Diet | Herbivores | Fungus Feeders |
| Regions | Africa | South Africa |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
Variegated Grasshopper
A brightly colored grasshopper with striking patterns of yellow, green, black, and orange. It feeds on toxic plants and sequesters the toxins for defense. It forms large aggregations.
Did You Know?
It deliberately eats toxic plants to make itself poisonous, and its bright colors warn predators of this.
South African Cave Cricket
A cave cricket endemic to caves on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa. It has reduced eyes and pale brown coloration.
Did You Know?
It is one of very few cave crickets known from the African continent.