GIANT STRIPE-EYED GRASSHOPPER
This monster of a grasshopper also goes under the names, the Egyptian grasshopper and the Egyptian locust, although it is not a locust. Here on Kefalonia, the males are about 50mm in length, but the females can grow to 70mm. Their bodies are usually grey, brown or olive-green coloured and they have short stout antennae. Their hind legs are blue and orange with dark markings. Their amazing eyes have vertical black and white stripes. They also have 2 pairs of large clear wings with dark marks.
They feed on the leaves of various plants and tend to inhabit trees and shrubs. I have seen them up in the mountains amongst the scrub, and down in the valleys. I have also seen them on the beach roads, so they like quite a diverse habitat. This grasshopper is a solitary species and does not swarm or damage crops.
