The Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (Romalea microptera) is very common in the Everglades and in some places they are abundant. Some gardeners probably don't like them very much. As a nature photographer, I really enjoy those colorful insects.
These giants can reach 8 cm (3 in). They are slow moving creatures, unable to fly... so good chances for nice macro shots! How does a big, slow and not camouflaged cricket survive with tons of predators around? They can emit a foul-smelling and foul-tasting foamy secretion from the thorax when they feel threatened. So the red and yellow is used as a warning coloring (aposematism).
Also very interesting is the different appearence of the young (nymph) and the adult specimen.
After I spent alomst half a year in Costa Rica, we decided to celebrate the family reunion with a nice vacation. The perfect destination for a mix of the regular holiday stuff and my passion (nature photography / herping) was not hard to find: Florida, USA.
So my parents, my sister and her boyfriend joined me on the trip to the Sunshine State. It rained a lot... not common during this time of the year and not the best weather for our plans. Still, we had a very nice time! At the beach, at the pool, in shopping malls (not that nice for me #yawn) and especially in the nature.
Please check this video showing some of the wildlife we encountered:
