Wildlife fans were left hopping with excitement after a rare pink grasshopper was spotted at a County Durham reserve.
Amateur photographer Paul Cleasby, 62, from Durham, captured the incredible insect while testing out a new macro lens at Oakenshaw Nature Reserve on Friday (29th August) afternoon.
“I’d gone down to try the lens and was amazed at the sheer amount of insect life,” Paul told What’s The Jam.
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“There was so much grasshopper noise, so I got low to the ground—and then this unusual pink one caught my eye.”
Pink grasshoppers are an extraordinary sight, caused by a genetic mutation known as erythrism, which gives them their striking bubblegum colour.
Unlike their camouflaged green cousins, these rosy-hued hoppers are incredibly rare—experts estimate only one in 500 grasshoppers are born pink.
Their bright colouring also makes them more vulnerable to predators, which is why spotting one in the wild is so unusual.
Paul added: “I had to Google it to learn more about why it was pink. I couldn’t believe my luck—it really stood out among the green grass.”
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For Durham’s wildlife community, this one-in-a-million pink hopper is truly picture-perfect.
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