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Montana Spur-throat Grasshopper - Melanoplus montanus
General Description
The following is taken from Morgan (1928), Brooks (1958), Helfer (1971), Vickery and Kevan (1985), and Scott (2010). A small short-winged species. General color is dark brown or blackish and pale ventrally. Outer face of hind femur is mottled ventrally and conspicuously crossbanded. The hind tibia is red with a black spot near the base.
Phenology
Little is known about the phenology of this species. Probably overwinters in egg stage and adults found during July and August (Vickery and Kevan 1985).
Diagnostic Characteristics
The following comes from Morgan (1928), Brooks (1958), Helfer (1971), Vickery and Kevan (1985), and Scott (2010). Male and female body length 17-26 mm. Wings (tegmina) form small oval pads extending only to second abdominal segment.
Can be confused with any of the small short-winged Melanoplus species. Examination of the male genitalia is required for positive identification.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Ranges from British Columbia, Alberta, southward to Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. In Montana it has been collected in 9 counties (Morgan 1928, Brooks 1958, Helfer 1971, Vickery and Kevan 1985, and Scott 2010).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 12
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Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
The Montana Spur-throat is confined to bare western mountain slopes with sparse vegetation and bushes. Its occurrence is discontinuous over its range and is regarded as a rare species. It is generally found at elevations ranging from 6000 to 9000 feet (Morgan 1928, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).
Food Habits
Unknown
Reproductive Characteristics
Overwinters in egg stage. Adults found during July and August (Vickery and Kevan 1985).
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication
Brooks, A.R. 1958. Acridoidea of Southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (Orthoptera). The Canadian Entomologist (Supplement 9) 90:5-92.- Hebard, M. 1928. The Orthoptera of Montana. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Vol. 80:211-306.
- Helfer, J.R. 1971. How to Know the Grasshoppers, Crickets, Cockroaches, and Their Allies. Revised edition (out of print), Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.
- Scott, R.D. 2010. Montana Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets A Pictorial Field Guide to the Orthoptera. MagpieMTGraphics, Billings, MT.
- Vickery, V. R. and D. K. M. Kevan. 1985. The grasshopper, crickets, and related insects of Canada and adjacent regions. Biosystematics Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario. Publication Number 1777. 918 pp.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Anderson, N.L. 1962. Grasshopper-vegetation relationships on Montana grasslands. Ph.D Dissertation. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 73 p.
- Capinera, J.L., R.D. Scott, and T.J. Walker. 2004. Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States. Ithaca, NY. Cornell University Press.
- Wachter, D.H. 1995. The ecology of selected grasshopper species along an elevational gradient. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 59 p.
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