The people of Bojonegoro were deeply saddened and shocked by the recent update from the Paliyan Police Chief AKP Solechan regarding the death of the two residents who died on Wednesday. The dangerous and devilish grasshopper which is abundantly available in the teak forests is the fatal reason which took the lives of two who consumed it and turned it into a food poison.
“Yes, that’s right, it’s suspected to be poisoning. There were 2 people named Hafid and Mr.Samian, both neighbours but in different RTs. Initially, they were looking for the walang (grasshoppers) together in the forest which was probably around 8 km to 10 km from the village” said the head of Dukohkidul village, Sulibianto. He also said that both of them lacked the knowledge of the danger behind the grasshoppers.
“What is clear is that this is due to a lack of understanding or ignorance of which grasshoppers can be eaten and which cannot” he added.
The Devil Grasshopper
The agricultural grasshopper which took the lives is called a ‘Devil Grasshopper’ for the fatal chemical elements within themselves. In Latin it is named as “Aularches Miliaris”. Based on the collected information from the research of Gadjah Mada University, this grasshopper has a self-defence mechanism which emits a poisonous foam or a foul smelling liquid which makes them inedible and the other one is the creaking or rattling sound.
“Therefore, this grasshopper is often referred to as the devil grasshopper. In addition to the devil grasshopper, Aularches miliaris is also called the foam grasshopper, northern spotted grasshopper or coffee grasshopper” – Gadjah Mada University
This insect is predominantly found in the Dlingo area, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta Province of Indonesia.
