Hibernating Grasshopper

Grasshoppers that can hibernate

During the Spring Festival, we were traveling in Beijing. When we went to the temple fair, we heard someone shouting: "Kastydids are for sale! Grasshoppers that can hibernate!" My mother was very happy. Out of curiosity, I bought one.

This grasshopper is huge. Its abdomen is bright green, with four calves and two thighs, and the legs are covered with thorns. Its wings are very thin, like emerald green gauze, with stripes on them. There are two thin and long tentacles on the head. The most powerful thing is the big brown teeth like pliers in its mouth.

Grasshopper traveled with us every day, climbed the Great Wall with us, and went skiing at the Bird's Nest. We were always worried that it would freeze to death, but as soon as we arrived at the hotel, it sang a song, and the sound was so beautiful. When it is hungry, we give it apples. It would lie on the apple and use its sharp teeth to open and close it and eat it with relish. When it's full, it licks its smelly feet with its mouth.

The Grasshopper followed us back to Ningbo by plane. It was really cold in Ningbo during those days. For two weeks, it remained motionless, without eating or drinking. Will it die? The mother moved it, and the Grasshopper seemed to be frightened and stretched its legs. Are you tired of apples? I cut carrots for it to eat, but it ignored me and fell asleep.

Ah, so this is hibernation!

Huang Zicheng, Class 301, Zhongshan Campus, Jiangdong Central Primary School, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province

(Instructor Lu Jing)