Montana Field Guide

The following is taken from Brooks (1958), Vickery and Kevan (1985), Pfadt (2002), Capinera et al. (2004), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), Brust et al. (2008, 2010), and Scott (2010). Body color is generally brownish yellow to red brown, but variations occur among populations depending upon habitat background and even biogeographic range. A dark stripe runs over the head and onto the center of the pronotum and is bordered on each side by pale stripes. The dark stripe can sometimes be absent. The tegmina (wing) is long, extending beyond the abdomen tip. The outer surface of the hind femur is dark dorsally and pale ventrally. The inner face is light orange-brown or pale. The hind tibia is commonly red but can be blue at northern latitudes.

This is an early hatching species, nymphs appearing in early spring, ranging from May 1 to 29. Adults occur from early July to October (Pfadt 2002).

The body length to end of forewings for males is 22 to 26 mm, and for females 26 to 34 mm. More positive diagnostics require examining the male aedeagus (Brooks 1958, Vickery and Kevan 1985, Pfadt 2002, Capinera et al. 2004, Capinera and Sechrist 1982, Brust et al. 2008 and 2010, and Scott 2010).

M. foedus has been considered as three subspecies in many texts: M. foedus foedus, M. foedus fluviatilis, and M. foedus isleyi. It is often confused with Packard’s Spurthroat (M. packardii) and M. fluviatilis, which are now considered recognized species. These 3 species are in what is termed as the “Melanoplus packardii group.” Essentially, these 3 species are truly “look-a-likes” in that the male genitalia are nearly identical. M. foedus tends to be slightly larger and lighter in color than Packard’s Spurthroat (M. packardii). It can also be confused with the Narrow-winged Grasshopper (M. angustipennis) (Brust et al. 2008 and 2010, and Capinera and Sechrist 1982).

Refer to the Pictorial Key to the “Melanoplus packardii Group" above for identification assistance.

Inhabits sandy grasslands of uplands (grasslands/prairies) and river bottoms. Over its large geographical range, it does not generally occupy the same habitats as Packard’s Spurthroat (M. packardii) (Pfadt 2002,
and Capinera and Sechrist 1982).

This species prefers a wide diversity of forbs but does feed on grasses and sedges. Some studies indicate that its diet consists of 56 species of forbs, 19 species of grasses and 2 species of sedges (Pfadt 2002, Capinera and Sechrist 1982).

Females deposit eggs in sandy and semi-soft soils, often in cultivated grain fields, stubble fields, and old pocket gopher mounds. The egg pod can be variable in structure and contains 16 to 30 eggs arranged in two or three columns. Nymphs pass through 5 instars (Pfadt 2002, Capinera and Sechrist 1982).