What a surprise to find a “hatch” of tiny, perfectly formed grasshoppers teeming on my kitchen counter-top today. My fault though, i’d brought some pot plants indoors and the warmth must have brought on the incubation. The little critters were lively, and spread quickly. With the help of a soft pastry brush i managed to divert their direction towards the open window and encourage a short hop to freedom. Mind you there was a horde of them, 104 and still not all accounted for.
Nature on the Edge 
Absolutely wonderful! I love the one that appears to be peeping over the counter edge. So glad you captured them before releasing them!
Thanks Gilly … “Riley was here” ! But what a hatch, in terms of numbers! I’ve watched baby leatherback turtles in their mad haste to get to the water, and here the hoppers were hopping towards light and the open window. Amazingly athletic little critters!
This happened in my kitchen once, but it was praying mantis, not grasshoppers.
Just popped over to reread your post on the mantis hatch :)!! The numbers, and the perfection in their smallness!! I’m intrigued now to find out about survival rates etc… Once outside the hoppers were picked up on the wind… so rather happy that dispersal will take them beyond my garden greens. What happened at your end, did you notice an increase in adult mantis in your yard? Useful insects though, eat up all the mites etc.
It’s strange because we haven’t seen any at all in the past few years.
That is strange. Watched today as some of the grasshopper stragglers were snapped up by an eager little familiar chat. Difficult to track insect ecology, what with our transformed landscapes, pesticides, or just plain nature imbalance? Hope the mantis make a comeback…
I’ve never seen such tiny grasshoppers – what an amazing experience.
Yes it was! Such perfection in miniature; and athletic ability – what an Olympian height hop!