The Accidental Insect Adventure
Back in the day, I went on holiday… to holiday.
Sure, I brought a camera, just in case, but the main goal was simple: enjoy the sun, the sea, the food… and most of all: each other.
We usually picked a charming little Greek island, rented a scooter, and rode off together to the sea every day. We even had our own private beaches, a luxury I still miss.
Towards the Sea (Sort Of)
It was only a short half-hour drive, over the mountain, to get to that Gillette blue sea. And the trip itself was no punishment either, with the lovely smelling pine trees, butterflies everywhere, singing cicada and strange birds….
And crickets. So many crickets.
These Greek roads, warm and wonderfully quiet, were dotted with basking grasshoppers, some of them extraordinarily beautiful.
But it was really blood-soaking hot and we both intensely longed for that cooling dip.
So, a little heavy-hearted (well, my heart, anyway), we kind of ignored these beauties.
“STOOOOOP!”
Until suddenly I saw it. A SUPER cricket.
I couldn’t help myself. I leapt off the scooter and dove to the ground, mesmerized by this alien-looking creature. It resembled a cartoon character, with those huge eyes! He was maybe 12 cm tall and he moved robotic, like a wind-up toy, which contributed to the comic content. Naturally, I had to photograph it. And luckily, I just happened to have a camera with me…
My incredibly patient boyfriend gave me my moment. And we rode on.
Sea, here we come!
Or not.
Because five minutes later… another Saga crossed our path.
And then another.
And another.
Grumpy Grasshopper
You can probably guess what happened.
That half-hour ride? It turned into a 4-hour epic detour.
Totally worth it. Well, for some of us.
My once-patient boyfriend had by then morphed into a very grumpy, overheated grasshopper himself.
Grasshopper facts
- This large and rather rare insect is endemic to the Balkans and found in Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece. I encountered several stunning specimens on the island of Lefkada (Lefkas).
- Sadly, the species is now in decline, threatened by pesticide use, habitat loss due to agriculture, urbanization, and tourism. But if you’re lucky enough to meet one… don’t be surprised if it hijacks your plans.
- It feeds on other large insects such as other species of crickets and grasshoppers. It is also known to hybridize with another species of the Saga genus, the Saga pedo.
Rare Predatory Bush Cricket (Saga Hellenica)
In case you like grasshoppers:
Grasshoppers, Locusts & Crickets
The Pink Grasshopper – A Story About Being Different