Tropidacris collaris
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
Tropidacris collaris, the blue-winged grasshopper or violet-winged grasshopper, is a large South American species of grasshopper in the family Romaleidae. As suggested by its name, in flight the wings are usually conspicuously blue, but they can occasionally be grayish or greenish. Adult males are typically 5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in) long and females typically 8.5–10.5 cm (3.3–4.1 in) long; the wingspan is usually about 18 cm (7 in). The gregarious and flightless nymphs are aposematically colored in black, red and yellow and are presumed to be toxic; a researcher who tasted one noted, that it was very bitter, similar to a monarch butterfly.
Tropidacris collaris is common in a wide range of habitats from rainforests to dry open areas like Caatinga and Cerrado. It is widespread in South America east of the Andes, from Colombia and the Guianas to central Argentina, but generally avoiding highlands. They feed on many types of plants, including several species of agricultural crops, trees grown in plantations and ornamental plants, and they are considered a pest in some parts of their range. They are popular among insect and terrarium enthusiasts.
A grasshopper of this species was spotted landing on the arm of James Rodríguez, after he scored a goal during Colombia's 1–2 loss to Brazil, at the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapada Diamantina National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Anavilhanas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Violet-Winged Grasshopper sighting in João Pessoa on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the most-seen of the 56 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and July
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Violet-Winged Grasshopper in João Pessoa on a given day, against under 5% in November to February, the lowest months. Those are among João Pessoa's wettest months, with about 150 mm of rain a month against 20 mm in November.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Violet-Winged Grasshopper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Violet-Winged Grasshopper sightings, João Pessoa ranks 2nd at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Salvador (Brazil, about 40%).
Same order: Orthoptera
The closest relatives of the Violet-Winged Grasshopper that you can see in João Pessoa (order Orthoptera, Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids) are Abracris flavolineata (about 20%) and Schistocerca flavofasciata (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Violet-Winged Grasshopper is recorded against all the insects logged in João Pessoa (28 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
