Perhaps the old adage that “opposites attract” applies to grasshoppers too. When I photographed this intimate moment on a leaf, I couldn’t figure out for sure what was going on.
Perhaps the grasshopper was attracted by the bright colors of the Handsome Meadow Katydid and was trying to start a conversation. Maybe this was a blind date set up by some well-intentioned friends. Is it possible they matched on a lot of points in the insect version of Match.com?
I have photographed grasshoppers and katydids separately, but this is the first time I have them both in a single image. It is fascinating to be able to compare the bodies of the two species and note the differences in the eyes, the legs, and many other parts.
The striking colors of the Handsome Meadow Katydid have always drawn my attention, but I am left with one question to ponder. Do grasshoppers even see in color or only in shades of gray?
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Great shot!
There really are quite a lot of differences between these two. I don’t know if grasshoppers can see colors but birds must be able to since so many insects use color to warn them away.
I thot I was reading a celebrity gossip column there for awhile! Fascinating to see them both together. Let the speculation continue.
Sometimes I really do feel like I am part of the paparazzi for the insects, trying desperately to catch the insects in compromising positions. Now, if I can just find a tabloid newspaper that will buy my photos…
Maybe a case of mis-identification.