Scientific nomenclature is a topic all its own, but as an amateur I’m often surprised by how inconsistent it can be. Take the term “nymph,” for example. Nymphal stages are common throughout insect species, but the what’s classified as a nymph differs wildly across different species.
For grasshoppers, the nymphal stage is a miniature of the adult; grasshopper nymphs are merely tiny grasshoppers, small enough to perch atop a single lavender blossom.
Meanwhile, dragonfly nymphs lack wings, live underwater for several years, and appear more akin to large earwigs than to adult dragonflies.
To say nothing of caddisfly nymphs, which are also aquatic and build tube casings from bits of wood, grass, or pebbles, while preying upon basically anything they encounter.
I may be missing nuance somewhere, since both dragonflies and caddisflies are, obviously, flying insects in their adult form, where as grasshoppers – while capable of flight – are not primarily airborne. Regardless, the point stands: the term “nymph” encompasses a very large range of forms.
At any rate, here are some photos of grasshopper nymphs, which are adorable little critters, and not at all terrifying blitz-predators like other nymphs!