Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

Typically found in the warm, wet areas of the southeastern United States (Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina), favoring pinewoods, weedy fields, and gardens.

Herbivorous and polyphagous, consuming a wide variety of plants including vegetables, ornamentals (especially amaryllis and crinum lilies), and broadleaf weeds.

Flightless and slow-moving; they rely on their bright aposematic warning coloration to deter predators. When threatened, they hiss by expelling air from their spiracles and can secrete a foul-smelling, toxic foam.

Risks: Can be a significant pest for gardens and nurseries due to their voracious appetite for ornamental plants. Benefits: Serve as a food source for specialized predators like loggerhead shrikes.