Boy finds pink grasshopper

A schoolboy has stumbled on a rare pink grasshopper. Daniel Tate, 11, was taking part in the first Minibeasts in the Marshes event at Seaton Marshes, Devon, when he came across the little hopper.

Experts say it is a common green grasshopper which just happens to be pink.

Daniel said: "I was looking for grasshoppers when I saw something pink. I thought it was a flower but I saw it moving, so I tried to catch it. It jumped so then I knew it was a grasshopper.



"I was really excited to hear that no one else had found a pink grasshopper at that place before."

James Chubb, education ranger for East Devon council, said: "There are billions of meadow grasshoppers across England but this is the first pink one I have ever seen. It is caused by a genetic mutation in its reproductive cycle.

"It's almost a full adult, so it has survived this long being bright pink there is a chance it will live to reproduce and pass on its pink gene."