‘No invasion’: Expert dismisses social media fuss over large grasshopper sightings in İstanbul
Large grasshoppers reported in İstanbul’s agricultural districts in recent days are neither invasive nor disease-carrying, according to a wildlife expert who said their apparent spread has been exaggerated on social media.
The insects have been seen mainly in Silivri, Çatalca and Arnavutköy, where farmland and residential areas overlap on the outskirts of the city. Many videos, including AI-generated clips, went viral on social media alongside sensational claims of an “invasion.”
Most of the insects shown online were white-faced bush crickets, or Decticus albifrons albifrons, Dr. Ergün Bacak of İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Bacak told Anadolu Agency (AA).
“Their large bodies, long antennae and strong legs attract people’s attention,” he said. “This is not an invasive grasshopper species. Perhaps one or two enter people’s homes. Social media creates the impression of a major infestation, but that is not the case.”
The species can grow to between 5 and 6 centimeters, he said.
No harm for people or crops
Bacak said the insects should not be confused with desert locusts and other species that can cause extensive agricultural damage.
“They do not harm people, carry diseases or destroy crops,” he said. “They are among the creatures that contribute to the ecosystem.”
The grasshoppers enter homes because they are attracted to artificial light, not because they are searching for food, Bacak said.
“This species is active at night,” he said. “It normally moves by following the stars and moonlight. Artificial lights in homes also attract them.”
Urban development has reduced natural habitats and increased encounters between people and wildlife, particularly in areas where settlements are close to farmland and other natural spaces, he added.
Bacak advised residents not to handle the insects with bare hands because they may bite in self-defense.
The current increase is temporary and is linked to rising temperatures, which have brought adult insects into the open, Bacak said. He added that the grasshoppers are part of the natural environment and should not be killed unnecessarily. (TY/VK)
