Rare pink grasshopper found by a girl in Cape Breton
In a fascinating find, eight-year-old Abigail Boudreau discovered a unique pink grasshopper outside her home in Louisdale, N.S., on Monday evening. The rare creature, which Abigail named Emily, has since become the talk of the town and even made its way to Felix Marchand Elementary School.
Abigail, a Grade 2 student at the school, brought Emily to show her classmates and teachers on Friday. Her mother, Robin Boudreau, who teaches pre-primary at the school, couldn't keep the discovery to herself and shared it with everyone at the school during her lunch break on Tuesday.
Emily belongs to the species of grasshoppers and her pink color is not a common occurrence. The pink hue can also be found in other creatures such as snakes, frogs, and even blue lobsters. According to Andrew Hebdon, a retired curator of zoology at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, the pink color of the grasshopper is a result of a strong expression of genes controlling for red.
However, Emily's bright pink color on a dark green background may make her more visible to predators. Abigail's father found Emily while working on his boat, and Abigail caught her along with other grasshoppers and placed her in a jar. It is hoped that Emily will soon be released back into her natural habitat at Abigail Boudreau's house.
Abigail named Emily because she likes that name, and the discovery of the pink grasshopper has been a source of excitement and learning for everyone involved. Emily's rare color serves as a reminder of the wonders that can be found in nature, even in our own backyards.
