An unexpected guest arrived and spent a good half hour trying to drink Speedy’s beer:
He was coy at the beginning, but as his thirsty frustration mounted he became more athletic in his efforts to reach the brew.
No beer! It was too far down in the glass. He chose to go for a stroll instead of drowning his sorrows, which probably would have turned out to be a literal drowning. Off he wobbled, past Spilled Water Lake of Regrets and on into the late afternoon sunshine.
But soft! What lies ahead? Friend or foe? Dinner?
Judging from his eyes, this is the fellow who took advantage of Speedy’s untended beer.
What was the outcome of this historic meeting? I’d like to be able to tell you there was an epic battle, life and death!, but alas, it was extremely dull. No one ate anyone else, and no ever really got into Speedy’s beer, except Speedy.
PS If anyone can identify the green visitor I’d love to know what he is. I’ve done a bit of searching, but with 20,000 grasshopper species world wide I soon lost heart and decided it would be more fun to pop a cold one. You never know who will come to join you.
An Ex-Expatriate 
More info from a European expert!
Hi Hilary,
This is from Roy Kleukers, from Leiden, The Netherlands. I don’t know him, but he is the contact person for “The Orthoptera of Europe” and he was kind enough to respond to my e-mail inquiry. (See http://www.ortheur.org/orthoptera/orthoptera/i000000.html). According to this link, the website Orthoptera of Europe is funded by the European Invertebrate Survey – the Netherlands and Museum Naturalis (Leiden).
Looks like your species is Anacridium aegyptium!!
Entomologically yours,
Trish
From: Roy Kleukers [mailto:roy.kleukers@naturalis.nl]
Sent: Friday, August 09, 2013 10:47 AM
To: Hanson, Trish
Subject: Re: Identification?
Hi Trish, this is young specimen of Anacridium aegyptium. Best wishes, Roy
Thanks, Roy, Trish, Hilary, Dave and Don. Hop like an Egyptian!
Oh boy! The plot thickens…
Hi Hilary,
Here’s one response. I’m expecting one or two more. I like Dave’s comment about locals likely having more descriptive and colorful names for it.
You know I love a quest!
Your bug buddy,
Trish
RE: Grasshopper ID?
Ferguson, Dave J. [DFerguson@cabq.gov]
Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2013 6:01 PM
To:
Hanson, Trish
Hi again,
I think most Americans would have tried to kill it, rather taking photos of it. I prefer the photos.
I’m pretty sure it is a nymph (not fully grown) of Anacridium aegyptium. Some common names I found listed on-line include: Egyptian Grasshopper; Egyptian Locust; Le Criquet égyptien; Ägyptische Wanderheuschrecke. None of them is Italian, and I’ll bet the locals have other more descriptive and colorful names for it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacridium_aegyptium
It is closely related to what we call “Bird Grasshoppers” in the United States, and to the African “Plague Locust” (genus Schistocerca). In Australia and southeast Asia they have the genus Austracris, and there are others that are very similar. With a few of exceptions, most of these sort of grasshoppers (including A. aegyptium) usually aren’t very destructive, because they move around a lot, and there usually aren’t enough of them to do much damage. The African species and one in South America are big exceptions, and can be hugely destructive (cause of the biblical locust plagues).
Occasionally one hitches a ride to the U.S. on a boat or airplane, and because they show up mostly in cities, they often get noticed here too.
Thanks for the look,
Best wishes,
Dave
________________________________________
I echo the sentiments about your wonderful post, dear pal! I sent it on to my friend Trish Hanson, august UVM entomologist to whom I always turn in matters of bug Identification. This is what she e-mailed back:
Hi Hilary!!
This is a very funny and entertaining series of photos!
I sent a note to my Orthoptera contact person (Don Miller) and he sounded happy to look into it. He wrote,
“I obviously don’t know the European fauna but it will be interesting to learn. There is a list of the Orthoptera of Europe that I’m trying to track down. It looks like Chortophaga or a related genus, but I don’t think either of these genera are in Europe! Anyhow, am trying to contact some people in Europe for help. Will get back to you as soon as I get more precise information. To further titillate the situation, it is obviously not an imago, looks like a last stage instar to me. Interesting sequence of images.”
This kind of thing really intrigues Don, so I bet he’s thinking about it (i.e., obsessing) right now.
In the meantime, I actually wrote to two other folks who might get back to me more quickly than Don. I’ll keep you posted!!
Hilary here again. Ah, the anticipation of the big reveal! And don’t you just love it when entomologists talk dirty?
Wow – what a wonderful response. Please thank your bug friends for me for the ID. The Italian word for grasshopper is cavalletta, but, as he says, there must be some more colorful names for them. Wait til they see the pic I took of bugs with fungi… I’ve never seen anything like it. Anyway, I’m really grateful for all this work – not knowing what something is called really ‘bugs’ me!
Okay I just have to say this…..”Patience, young Grasshopper.” I was a huge fan of the Kung Fu tv series with David Carradine. Such a long time ago!
Oh Rowena, I wish I’d thought of that! It WAS a long time ago.
GLORIOUS POST! – I think it may be the most fun you’ve ever written!
Thank you for a wonderful, amusing few moments this morning –
XXOO
Thanks, Pidge – I had fun taking the pictures, as you could tell. He was quite a beautiful color, and seemed to be fearless. He had such a sly/coy expression in those big eyes.
What a lovely little fellow!
He actually left the glass and hopped up onto my mouth (which was unfortunately open at the time). Lucky for him I don’t have a taste for grasshopper. It was quite the surprise!
Spilled Water Lake of Regrets! Hahahahahahaha!!!! That killed me. Love the photos.
Thanks Diane!