A highly illustrated and authoritative introduction to the world’s OrthopteraGrasshoppers, locusts, crickets, bush crickets, and katydids make up the order of insects known as Orthoptera. Although there are about 30,000 species of Orthoptera around the world, many people pay little attention to them and even scientists know relatively little about them. Yet the world of grasshoppers is a fascinating and diverse one. In this richly illustrated book, leading researchers from around the world detail the many facets of these insects, including their evolution, life cycles, and mating behavior. The book presents interesting facts and stories about species such as monkey hoppers, Cooloola monsters, king crickets, wetas, and sandgropers. It also describes efforts to protect grasshoppers and the relationship between humans and these insects.The book features four main sections:Orthoptera in space and time: fossil record, evolution, and systematicsThe biology of Orthoptera: life cycle, ecology, and bioacousticsThe diversity of Orthoptera by geographic regionOrthoptera and humans: locusts, Orthoptera as food, Orthoptera as pets, and conservation