Red Winged Grasshopper, Tropidacris dux in a Frame

Tropidacris are among the largest grasshoppers in the world by length and wingspan, reaching up to 14.5 cm (5.7 in) and 24 cm (9.4 in) respectively. They are variably colored in green, brown, black, reddish or yellowish, and have wings that usually are conspicuously blue in flight. The gregarious and flightless nymphs have bright aposematic colors and are presumed to be toxic; a researcher who tasted one noted that it was very bitter, similar to a monarch butterfly.

These locally abundant grasshoppers inhabit a wide range of habitats, from rainforests to dry open areas and lowlands to highlands. Both adults and nymphs feed on many types of plants and decaying matter.