Grasshoppers were collected in the Lake Baringo area of northern Kenya between July 1988 and March 1989. A high overall diversity, 70 species, was observed in an extensive survey. In an intensive study of a 1 km transect grasshopper diversity was strongly partitioned between habitat types (beta-diversity 17.5% of maximum possible) despite their close proximity. Densities reached 0.66 m−2, probably enough to have a significant impact on availability of grazing for stock animals.