As fall progresses, all of our local insects are filling themselves up either for trying to survive the winter or to have the energy for end of the year breeding. Back in September I stumbled on this pretty, but good sized Atlantic grasshopper (Paroxya atlantica) while I was doing some yard work. At first the grasshopper tried to hide from me behind the stem of one of the blackjack plants. That was rather comical since it was more than twice as wide as the stem, but as I walked around the plant trying to get a better look at the grasshopper, it always kept the stem between us. As I was laughing at both of us (the insect for thinking it was hidden and me for following it round and round the plant several times), it jumped off the stem onto a nearby leaf. The leaf looked like either that grasshopper or another had been chewing on it, but I couldn’t really be too picky about the leaf it was on. I quickly got a few shots before to decided to fly away from me. I try not to pester my subjects, but sometimes I guess it happens anyway. I still find the situation amusing, though, and I’m not sure which one of us ended up with the better outcome.