Necrophagy in Grasshoppers:Taeniopoda equesFeeds on Mammal Carrion

Abstract

Grasshoppers are thought to be herbivores that primarily feed on plant leaves. But, many grasshopper species actually are omnivorous and will consume a wide range of living and dead organic matter. We documented the feeding behavior of the Western Lubber grasshopper, Taeniopoda eques, on a coyote, Canis latrans, carcass in Arizona, USA. The number of adult T. eques on the carcass ranged from 1 to 8 during each of six visits to the site and were predominantly female. Nymphs were not observed on or immediately adjacent to the carcass, although they were present in low numbers in the surrounding population. We observed females attempt to consume hair, dried hide, and especially dried tissue adhering to the bones. Our observation that most of the individuals feeding on the carcass were female, suggests that egg production requires nutrients that may make vertebrate carrion a complement to a herbivorous diet. T. eques lives in a desert habitat with a short and highly variable growing season, so carnivory/necrophagy may be adaptive by providing essential nutrients, thereby speeding oocyte maturation and increasing the likelihood that females will be able to develop and lay eggs before the onset of winter.