Okay, this submission, sent by reader Gabe McNett, is definitely classified as HARD. His notes:
This is a second submission I’d like to offer for your “Spot the _____” series. In my last submission, a grass moth on a tree trunk, I joked how they reminded me of the way many banded-wing grasshoppers can disappear right in front of you. I just returned from the park with my kids where I took a picture of a banded-wing grasshopper.
I think this is a challenging one. It’s a Carolina grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) resting on playground mulch. This species is often found in disturbed areas, such as fallow fields, unpaved roads, and barren soil where it feeds on grasses and other broadleaf plants. The crypsis of many banded-wing grasshoppers always amazes. Along with the picture key, I’ll also attach a slow-motion video (1/8thspeed) of the grasshopper taking flight as I approached it.
The reveals are below the fold (click “read more” below).
Here’s the hopper:
And the video:
Like the video.
Nice challenge.
Got it. Good ‘un!
Wow, I couldn’t find it. Good one.
Easy one. I saw it immediately. Probably from my youth chasing grasshoppers with my glass jars in tow. One thing to remember is these finds are usually in the center of the picture so no sense searching the perimeter – usually.
Likewise. The shadow gave it away.
I see ten of them. Prove me wrong.
[/theist mode]
You could be right. But it’s very unlikely.
[/skeptic mode]
I wasn’t entirely sure since the legs were hidden, but I did find it.
Okay, so I looked at the ‘reveal’ picture with the red circle and clicked on it and blew it up to maximum magnification and I *still* can’t see the darn thing!
cr
Ha! Found it!