Koby Legge, six, had an unexpected surprise when he discovered rare pink grasshoppers in his back garden.
While playing under his trampoline, Koby stumbled upon a pink grasshopper and immediately informed his father, Stephen Legge, about the unusual find.
Initially, Koby thought it was normal for grasshoppers to come in different colours. However, after conducting an online search, he realised the rarity of his discovery. Koby said: “My mum and dad typed it in online and it was different. I was shocked. It was very good to see.”
The pink colouration of these grasshoppers is typically caused by a recessive gene that can be passed down through generations.
This gene results in an excess of red pigment and a lack of black pigment. Pink grasshoppers are incredibly rare, with experts estimating that there is only a one percent chance of encountering one in a lifetime.
The Legge family believes the pink grasshopper Koby found may have had offspring, leading to the discovery of more of these unique insects.
Stephen, who works for Darryl’s Garden and Maintenance in Ipswich, initially thought his son was joking or playing a game when he mentioned the pink grasshopper. However, upon seeing it for himself, he was “amazed”.
The origin of these grasshoppers is unknown, but since the Legge family’s garden is near Landseer Park, it is speculated that the insects may be coming from there.
So far, the family has spotted a total of six pink grasshoppers in their back garden.
Koby said: “We do have loads in our back garden, loads of different colours – green, brown and pink.”
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