How Do Grasshoppers Dig Holes to Lay Their Eggs?
After breeding, female grasshoppers dig a hole in the ground in which to lay their eggs by using a special tube in their abdomen known as an ovipositor. The ovipositor is first used to dig the hole, and then to deposit the eggs one by one into the hole.
Each female grasshopper may lay between 15 to well over 100 eggs at a time, each one being no bigger than a small grain of rice. Once all of the eggs have been deposited into the hole by the ovipositor, the female then secretes a sticky foam that covers the eggs. Soon after being covered, the foam hardens to help protect the eggs and keep them from getting wet. This cluster of eggs and foam together is known as a pod.
Most species of grasshoppers lay their eggs during late summer or autumn, but the baby grasshoppers, known as nymphs, won’t hatch until the following spring. Within three to four months of hatching, the nymphs become fully grown adults that are ready to breed. Each generation of grasshoppers lives for less than a year, as all of the adults eventually die during autumn or winter.
Only species of short-horned grasshoppers lay their eggs in soil, as long-horned grasshoppers either lay their eggs on tree branches, leaves or even inside plants.
