Short oval wings touch or slightly overlap at the midline. Outer face of femur does not have bands. Hind tibiae are reddish. Dark stripe on pronotum behind eye is not always prominent.
Melanoplus rusticus is similar but the wings are more widely separated and the hind tibiae are greenish to bluish.
Capinera, J.L., R.D. Scott, and T.J. Walker. 2004. Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States. Cornell University Press.
Statewide. This species occurs throughout most of the eastern U.S.
Open woodland, shrubby areas, or forest edges. Eats broadleaf plants.