page_title: Romalea
section_title: Life cycle
hierarchical_section_title: Romalea / Life cycle
caption_attribution_description: English: Adult and nymph stages of Lubber Grasshopper. Photo taken at pond edge, Celebration Florida.
context_page_description: Romalea is a genus of grasshoppers native to the south-eastern and south-central United States. It is monotypic with a single species, Romalea microptera, known commonly as the eastern lubber grasshopper, Florida lubber, and Florida lubber grasshopper. It is the most distinctive grasshopper species within the south-eastern United States, and is well known both for its size and its unique coloration. It can reach nearly 3 inches in size.
  It is the type genus and species of the relatively new family Romaleidae and tribe Romaleini, and was long known as Romalea microptera before being moved to Romalea guttata. However, after new research, the remaining names have been marked as nomina oblita and microptera takes priority once more.
context_section_description: Romalea microptera goes through several stages, like all insects. When in the nymph stage, it is smaller than in the adult stage, wingless and completely black with one or more yellow, orange or red stripes. In the adult stage, they reach 2.5–3 in (64–76 mm), grow wings half the length of their body and become either a dull yellow often characterized by black spots and markings, a bright orange with black markings, or entirely black (as in the nymph stage) with yellow or red striping. In the black adult color phase, the grasshopper is widely known by the name "diablo" or "black diablo". In Louisiana, they are known as the "Devil's horse" or "cheval-diable". The insect is also colloquially known as a "graveyard grasshopper". In Mississippi they are known as "giant locust".
caption: Adult stage (bottom) and nymph stage (top).
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