Running up that Hill by Roeselien Raimond

Running up that Hill by Roeselien Raimond

Only little is known about pink grasshoppers, except that the color deviation is likely to be caused by the lack of black pigment (eumelanin) on one hand and on the other hand an excessive production of the red pigment (phaeomelanin). This phenomenon is called erythrism and is defined as an unusual reddish discoloration of fur, hair, skin, feathers or egg shells.The combination of red hair and freckles in humans is thought to be a form of erythrism, too. In a predominantly green area, being pink obviously is no benefit. Some theories claim that the gene for the pink color would be dominant in locusts, but that they simply don’t reach maturity due to the vulnerability that comes with this pink color. Another theory assumes that the pink gene is recessive. Two parents with a latent pink gene are needed, to create a pink baby grasshopper.
Of course it’s thinkable that the color pink would provide an advantage. Like -for example- in a field of pink flowers.
In a case like this, the pink version would have an advantage over his green brothers and theoretically this could result in an entire pink population!
Imagine how happy would you be when you found that one very rare green one!
Red Fox in the Snow

Roeselien Raimond: Photos