While out in my garden the other day, I found this not-so-little grasshopper.
It was resting on my Salvia plant and seemed quite content to stay there for a while.
I believe this is an Egyptian Bird Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium). It’s one of the larger grasshopper species found on Cyprus, and adults can reach around 5–8 cm in length. Its distinctive vertically striped eyes are one of its identifying features.
Getting close brought out the small details, from the wing texture to those unmistakably spiky hind legs.
Can you spot the grasshopper? I wonder how it got up there — one big jump or a short flight?
Despite its name, it isn’t a bird, of course — but it can be surprisingly impressive when it takes off.
There it stayed, surrounded by purple flowers, completely unaware of how many photos I was taking.
And, as usual, I took far too many.
Your thoughts are always welcome