Identification ⁶

Adults are large, robust, yellowish or yellow-green grasshoppers. The green or yellow color is a consistent shade across most of the body. The outer face of the femur has diagnostic black chevrons. There tends to be black in the crevices and depressions of the pronotum, as if black was scrubbed off. Hind tibiae are typically the same color as the rest of the grasshopper.

With some study, difficult to confuse with other species. Beginners may confuse this species with the Red-legged Grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum), which also has chevron-like markings on the outer femur, but the species are very different on close examination. Red-legged grasshopper is less robust with a smaller head and typically has a dark stripe/area on the side of the pronotum, is much smaller, and usually has red hind tibiae.

Late instar (older) nymphs are easily identified when chevrons start to form on their femur, but younger nymphs are more difficult to distinguish from other Melanoplus like M. bivittaus. Nymphs are green, yellow, or tan.

Resources ⁶

Grasshoppers of the Western U.S. Factsheet: http://idtools.org/id/grasshoppers/factsheet.php?name=13190

Occurrence ⁶

Common statewide.

Habitat ⁶

Common in many vegetated habitats. Common in weedy areas, gardens, and vegetated margins of human development.

Fontes e Créditos

1. (c) Victor W Fazio III, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Victor W Fazio III
2. (c) Babbage, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Differential_Grasshopper_01.jpg
3. (c) Melissa McMasters, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Differential_grasshopper_(25673035101).jpg
4. (c) Eugene Zelenko, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Melanoplus_differentialis-Copulating-5.jpg
5. (c) Judy Gallagher, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Differential_Grasshopper_nymph_-_Melanoplus_differentialis,_Meadowood_Farm_SRMA,_Mason_Neck,_Virginia.jpg
6. (c) Tyler Grant, alguns direitos reservados (CC BY-SA)

Mais informações

• BioDiversity4All taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• CalPhotos
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• Orthoptera Species File

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