Dispersion activities in insects depend on many factors, including diet. The variegated grasshopper, Zonocerus variegatus moves from one place to another in the field when disturbed and in search food and mates. The effect of diets on the tissues (femoral and thoracic muscles) responsible for dispersion in Z. variegatus was investigated in this study. Acalypha wilkesiana, Chromolaena odorata, Carica papaya, Manihot esculenta and a mixture of the four plants were fed to newly emerged adult males (two days after emergence) for eight weeks. After feeding, insect tissues were assayed and activities of five enzymes namely: α-glucosidase, amylase, cellulase, lipase and proteinase were investigated. All the enzymes were detected in the muscles of Z. variegatus. The food plants significantly affected the enzyme activities in these tissues. Z. variegatus fed A. wilkesiana had significantly higher enzyme activities than those insects fed other plants (31.6, 16.2, 5.0, 5.8 absorbance/minute for proteinase, lipase, cellulase and α-glucosidase, respectively, in the femoral muscles). Proteinase and lipase had higher activities than the carbohydrases.