This document summarizes the key characteristics of the order Orthoptera, which includes grasshoppers, crickets, katydids, and locusts. It notes that they undergo incomplete metamorphosis, have cylindrical bodies, two pairs of wings, three pairs of legs with modified hind legs for jumping, chewing mouthparts, large compound eyes, and antennae that can range from short to long. It provides details on their wings, legs, antennae, life stages of egg, nymph, and adult, and describes them as herbivorous or omnivorous insects that can cause damage by directly consuming plants.

1. Presented by :
ZAID ASIF

2. KINGDOM Animalia
PHYLUM Insecta
SUB-CLASS Pterygota
INFRA-CLASS Neoptera
SUPER ORDER Orthopterida
ORDER Orthoptera
SUB-ORDER Ensifera, Caelifera

3. “Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids and
Locusts belong to this order.“
 Following are some of its general characteristics:-
• Incomplete Metamorphosis
• Cylindrical body.
• 2 pair of wings.
• 3 pair of legs.
• Modified Hind pair of legs for jumping.
• Chewing and Biting Type mouthpart.
• Large Compound Eyes.
• Antennae may be short to very long depending on the
species.

4. Following are the characteristics of its
wings:-
• 2 pair of wings.
• The forewing are narrower than the hind wings
and hardened or leathery at the base.
• They are held roof-like overlapping the abdomen
at rest.
• The hind wing is membranous and held folded
fan-like under the forewings when at rest.

6. Following are the characteristics of its legs:-
• 3 pair of legs.
• Hind pair of legs are modified into sartorial
type of legs.
• Enlarged hind femur.
• PARTS: coxa, femur, tibia, tarsus, tarsal
claws.

8. Following are the characteristics of its
antennae:-
• 1 pair of antennae.
• Filiform type of antennae also known as thread
like.
• Grasshoppers have short antennae also known as
short horned grasshoppers.
• Crickets and Katydids have large antennae while
some grasshoppers known as long horned
grasshoppers also have large antennae.

10.  “Orthoptera have only 3 life stages
(incomplete metamorphosis) .
Egg
Nymph
Adult

11. • Some species lay eggs in the form of groups while
others lay a single egg at one place.
• Those who lay eggs in group also enclose their eggs
inside an egg pod.
• Number of Nymphal Instars varies from specie to
specie.
• Adults have fully developed wings where as nymphs
don’t have wings or either in developing phase.

13.  “Since grasshoppers have chewing and
biting type mouthparts, so the damage is
similar to caterpillars.“
• Grasshoppers are herbivorous.
• Cricket are omnivorous.
• Crickets can even eat their mates if hungry.
• Some species are even scavengers or predators.
• Both Nymphs and Adult cause damage.
• The main damage done by them is direct
consumption of plants not by vectoring diseases.