This question was recently posed by Ted at his blog Beetles in the Bush. Ever up for a challenge, I'd argue that a Leuronotina ritensis (Lichen Grasshopper) adult on a lichen-encrusted rock is a pretty good contender.
This species is narrowly endemic to the sky island mountains of southeast Arizona and adjacent Mexico. I photographed this individual in the Atascosas Mountains west of Nogales during my trip last week.
I never really realized how many lichen-camouflagish type grasshoppers there are until I tried to ID the ones I photographed. This one is particularly spectacular.
ReplyDeleteWhat beats either is seeing a customer representative and the airport.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the surface. Ted's grasshopper was very easy to see because he photographed so close up. I had much more trouble distinguishing it from the background when I walked six feet away from the computer screen.
ReplyDeleteYour grasshopper gives itself away close up only because of the very distinctive pattern on its massive thigh--like an art deco metal sculpture of a grasshopper. I think without that thigh, the rest of the insect is better camouflaged than Ted's. Six feet away, of course, even the thigh isn't a problem.
Very nice. A pain in the arse to see but what a spectacular grasshopper.
ReplyDelete