It was big. Huge. Black and Yellow with orange antennae

No, it WAS big. Longer than my fingers!!
Ok, I kinda have tiny hands, but it was about 4 inches long...

Rick at work took some REALLLY good pictures (he has a good eye and a very nifty camera).
(But you don't get to see those - ;) here's what you get...)
I happened to have my little camera with me and snapped these pics:














(This shot reminded me of the basic physical structure of the big nasties in the "Alien" movies...)





Ok, minor adventure trying to find out what kind of grasshopper it was. We considered it might be a "locust" of plague legends 'cause it was so huge...but it doesn't look like the locust pictures.
So, working my way through the search results...

• Grasshopper Mower (yes, a lawn mower)
• Grasshopper Vegetarian Restaurant (waaaay back east)
• Grasshopper Store (stuff for kids, I think...)
• Grasshopper Drink recipes (now this looks interesting...yummmm)
• Grasshopper Store (x 2 - this one looks to be for "fashionable" adults in plaid trench coats who hang out in a Van in the woods. ~~Uh-huh.~~)
• Grasshopper Arizona (a town named Grasshopper? Wait - there's actually 2 - Grasshopper Junction also!)
• Grasshopper sparrow...(no, I didn't go look.)
• Grasshopper dissection (Ack - moving on!)

OK, back to the critter identification.
I can tell it's a short-horned grasshopper...Ok, I haven't found our critter yet, (and I have been looking at A LOT of bugs on line) but I was astounded to find Orange, Pink, and Lavender grasshoppers!! I guess they're younglings...

Back to the search.
Whoa...what's this? A Taradactyl Grasshopper...darn, no pictures.
There is an AMAZING range of colors on Grasshoppers-they're beautiful! (The "Whatsthatbug" website is cool!)

Eureka!! found it. It's a Horse Lubber Grasshopper!!
Here's another person's comments. Apparently they taste nasty (hence the bright colors) and can produce a "rank foam when feeling threatened". Guess ours didn't mind all our paparazzi action, since he didn't foam up... (there's a celebrity joke in there somewhere...)
Off to the next adventure!