Sonny Harrod, age 14, of Louisville, Kentucky, for his question:

Does a „grasshopper really spit tobacco?

Mr. Grasshopper does not chew tobacco like the tough old guy in our favorite westerns. He prefers to dine on grass but, when hungry, he will eat almost any green leaf that grows. When he spits, chances are he is spitting grass juice. However, his spit is a brown color and could be mistaken for tobacco juice.

The grasshopper is surrounded by enemies all ready to eat him. True, he has big eyes to warn him of danger and long ‑back legs to help him hop out of the way. But, when cornered, his only way to defend himself is to spit. If you have ever captured a grasshopper, perhaps you have learned this fact for yourself. The brown juice is harmless and no one can blame the poor fellow for trying to defend himself in the only way he knows.