Multimedia Gallery
Students examine a grizzly spur-throated grasshopper
Students from Fort Riley Middle School examine a grizzly spur-throated grasshopper (Melanoplus punctulatus), a rare species of grasshopper they discovered while participating in the Konza Prairie Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program's Schoolyard project.
More about this Image
Grizzly spur-throated grasshoppers are unusual in that they prefers to live in trees rather than grasses, and particularly likes lichen-covered tress for better camouflage. The species is so rare that until now, it had only been reported twice in the state of Kansas since it was first identified in the United States in 1862.
LTER is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program that supports various research sites. This photo was taken in conjunction with Schoolyard LTER program, supplement grant request DEB 0218210.
To learn more about the Konza LTER, visit the program Web site at "http://www.konza.ksu.edu/konza/. Further information can also be found in NSF Press Release 05-111, "Grasshopper Takes to the Trees on Prairie Research Site." (Date of Image: Oct. 18, 2003)
Credit: Photo by Valerie F. Wright, Environmental Educator/Naturalist, Konza Prairie Biological Station
Images and other media in the National Science Foundation Multimedia Gallery are available for use in print and electronic material by NSF employees, members of the media, university staff, teachers and the general public. All media in the gallery are intended for personal, educational and nonprofit/non-commercial use only.
Images credited to the National Science Foundation, a federal agency, are in the public domain. The images were created by employees of the United States Government as part of their official duties or prepared by contractors as "works for hire" for NSF. You may freely use NSF-credited images and, at your discretion, credit NSF with a "Courtesy: National Science Foundation" notation.
Additional information about general usage can be found in Conditions.
Also Available:
Download the high-resolution JPG version of the image. (953 KB)
Use your mouse to right-click (Mac users may need to Ctrl-click) the link above and choose the option that will save the file or target to your computer.