How to Catch Grasshoppers

By Jack, Nature & Games Contributor/TGS Kids’ Cavern

My little brother Ben holding a brown grasshopper

You have to be fast and gentle at the same time to catch a grasshopper. If you hold the grasshopper to tightly it will squish in your hand. Depending where you are, many different kinds of grasshoppers might be around. In a field near our swimming pool, we caught four different species of grasshoppers.

Rules of the catch:

The smaller the grasshopper, the more frantic they are.

A little baby...maybe?

Using your hands is easier than a net.

Cup with both hands so you don’t squish it.

Some fly so be prepared when you open up your hands.

If you keep it in a jar or something, make sure there are holes in the lid so they can breathe.

He's a flyer!

For keeping reasons, use a box or fish tank or something you would keep hermit crabs in. If you use a fish tank (same with caterpillars), you might want to have some soil covering half of fish tank with climbing spaces. Crickets are easier to keep…but that’s a whole ‘nother story.

Always remember to release back into the wild so they don’t die. This is a

"Blade"

picture of a grasshopper we called Blade since he blends in with the grass. He was quite a jumper. He jumped on Mom’s phone when she took the picture, then jumped out of the tank. I caught him again but he escaped a little bit later.

"Flicker"

This is Flicker. I believe he is a male. I call him Flicker because if you try to grab him he will flick you with his back legs. He is very calm and does not move much.