A fleeting encounter with a toothpick grasshopper in Puyo

First described in 1913 by entomologist James A. G. Rehn, Stenopola boliviana is a slender South American grasshopper in the subfamily Leptysminae, commonly known as toothpick grasshoppers. Native to tropical and subtropical ecosystems, its elongated body provides perfect camouflage among long grass blades and marshland vegetation. It features specialized, “molar-like” mandibles designed to grind tough, fibrous semi-aquatic plants, though it can adapt its diet to broader vegetation when necessary. Remarkably, its vibrant green body and colorful striped accents—which help shatter its outline against shimmering water and stems—can shift in intensity depending on humidity, temperature, and diet during its nymph stage. I was lucky enough to spot this magnificent specimen in a city park in Puyo, Ecuador, capturing just a few frames before it darted away.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest posts of related arthropods

Photo taken on 30-08-2026 in Akalla, Sweden, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f18, 1/50, ISO 160.
Flightless guardians and high-pitched ch...
Photo taken on 30-08-2026 in Akalla, Sweden, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f18, 1/50, ISO 160.
White-tipped antennae and 15-minute cour...
Bugs_189
Changing colors and free rides: The smal...
Photo taken on 24-12-2025 in Okinawa, Japan, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens  and following settings:  f18, 1/200, ISO 320.
Delicacy or pest? The Okinawa short-wing...
Photo taken on 05-08-2025 in Puyo, Ecuador, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f14, 1/200, ISO 320.
Living fossils of the foliage: The match...
Photo taken on 05-08-2025 in Puyo, Ecuador, with the Nikon Z6-II camera and Nikon Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens and following settings: f14, 1/200, ISO 320.
Frozen in time and space: A haunted enco...
Scroll to Top

Would you prefer to hide close-up spider photos?
Wolisz ukryć zdjęcia pająków?
¿Ocultar fotos de arañas en primer plano?