Chromacris psittacus, often called the Ecuadorian lubber grasshopper, is a strikingly colorful Neotropical insect. Found across Central and South America, these grasshoppers are famous for utilizing brilliant warning colors and plant toxins to deter predators. As juveniles, the jet-black nymphs sport vivid red heads and antennae, crowded together in dense, eye-catching clusters on their host plants. Upon reaching adulthood, they transform into a deep forest-green, hiding a stunning flash of bright red or orange on their hind wings. They feed heavily on Solanaceae (nightshade) shrubs, absorbing toxic plant alkaloids into their bodies to ensure they taste terrible to any potential predators. I encountered this amazing grasshopper in the Amazon region of Ecuador, for the first time in Tena in December 2023 and for the second time in Puyo in August 2025.