Insect · GBIF taxon 1728284
Leichhardt's Grasshopper
Petasida ephippigeraAlso known as Alyurr
Leichhardt's grasshoppers are renowned for their brilliant warning coloration, featuring vivid orange, deep blue, and black patterns across their body. Native to the rugged sandstone escarpments of tropical northern Australia, these insects gather on aromatic Pityrodia shrubs, sequestering plant toxins to deter predators. In local Indigenous Bininj Kunwok culture, they are known as Alyurr and are spiritually connected to Namarrkon, the lightning spirit, signaling the arrival of late wet season storms.
Brightly ColoredAposematicDiurnal
—observations
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—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Pityrodia leaves
- Pityrodia flowers
Predators
- Birds
- Lizards
- Spiders
ThreatsInappropriate fire regimes, climate change, and habitat fragmentation
HabitatsSandstone escarpments, monsoon open woodlands, and tropical shrublands
Life span1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyPyrgomorphidae
- SpeciesPetasida ephippigera
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for large, brightly painted orange and blue grasshoppers resting on fuzzy grey green host shrubs.
- Support conservation
- Observe quietly without touching host plants, as disturbing foliage can displace these localized insects.
Responsible observation
- Location: Look on aromatic Pityrodia shrubs around Kakadu and Arnhem Land escarpments.
- Timing: Search during the wet season from January through April when adults are active.
- Observation: Move slowly when taking photos to prevent them from jumping off their host plants.
Image unavailableHost Plant Host Plant Close Relative Close Relative
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