The illustrious Mr. Hopper, still in bed on a crisp autumn morning

Here's someone who hates to see autumn roll around as much as anyone. Grasshoppers rarely survive the winter months, at least here in the upper midwest, so autumn must be a bummer for them. In fact, the chilly morning air on the day of this shot made them all quite lethargic and allowed me to get as close as my closeup lenses would allow.

Grasshoppers keep the species going by laying eggs in late summer that will endure through the winter months. A new brood will emerge in the coming spring.

Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2007 James Jordan.