13th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Mobile
Eastern lubber grasshopeer (Romalea guttata) in the Everglades

The photo was taken while walking along the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades, Florida. Mature lubbers, such as the one in the photo, rely on chemical defenses for protection from predators; their short wings are nonfunctional. Their striking colors advertise their unpalatability to birds.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2015
Date Uploaded: 07.2015
Photo Location: Flamingo, Florida, United States of America
Camera: Lumia 521
Copyright: © Rodney Johnson