Meadow Grasshoppers (Pseudochorthippus parallelus)

A few weeks ago I was on one of my usual lone wanders when I spotted the Plum-coloured Meadow Grasshopper in the top photo of this collage, an exciting event in itself.

As you can imagine, plum is not the standard colour for a Grasshopper trying to remain concealed in green grass and vegetation.

I'd certainly never seen one before and knew it was very uncommon.

I also knew something about the condition which causes it, a genetic mutation called 'Erythrism', an excessive reddish pigmentation of the skin, similar to the one which causes albinism. It's thought the combination of freckles and ginger hair in humans is a mild form of the same mutation.

This led me to think there may be a Grasshopper I've wanted to see but imagined I never would, a rare pink specimen since, as the condition is genetic, there's a slight increased chance of another in the same generation.

On my return to the original location the number of grasshoppers had multiplied many fold. Certainly hundreds, probably thousands. But having passed a particular spot, I randomly glanced back and saw the pink diamond in the rough, hidden from view from the direction I had arrived. Bingo!

Of course one of the reasons these are so rarely seen is that the mutation puts them at increased risk of predation, so few make it to adulthood.

For comparison, the final photo is a more regular colouring of a Meadow grasshopper, the only flightless grasshopper in the UK.

Both in just a few weeks is not something I expect to better easily.


PS: 'Erythrism' should not be confused with 'Erethism' otherwise known as 'Mad Hatter's' disease. :-)