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Western Grassgreen Grasshopper - Hesperotettix speciosus
General Description
The Western Grassgreen Grasshopper is generally a uniform grass green, but some individuals posses areas of red or purple. The pronotum is roughly sculpted, with a median pink or red stripe on the dorsal surface. The top of the hind femur is striped with red, and the hind tibia is pale green (Capinera et al. 2004, Scott 2010, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).
Phenology
The Grassgreen Grasshopper is somewhat deficient in detailed data relative to its phenology. From what is available in the literature, it passes the winter in the egg stage. Nymphs appear in the spring, and adults are most common from late July to mid-September (Brust et al. 2008, Vickery and Kevan 1985).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Medium size, male body length 20-26 mm and female 28-34 mm. The forewings, tegmina, are shorter than the abdomen (Capinera et al. 2004, Scott 2010, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).
None in Montana, for which it could be confused. The only other Hesperotettix species with which it could be confused occurs in Florida: Purple-striped grasshopper, Hesperotettix floridensis. (Capinera et al. 2004)
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
The following is taken from Capinera et al. (2004), Scott (2010), Vickery and Kevan (1985). Occurs throughout the Great Plains, east of the Rocky Mountain front, from Montana south to Texas and New Mexico and eastward to western Illinois and Missouri. In Montana, general range maps indicate that this species is distributed across the eastern two-thirds of the state. However, as of 2019, there have been only 2 counties with confirmed reports of its occurrence.
Habitat
Prefers sparse weedy habitats with light, well drained soils (Capinera et al. 1982, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).
Food Habits
This is a forbivorus species, and feeds on Sunflowers,
Helianthus annuus, Goldenrod,
Solidago sp., Ragweed,
Ambrosia sp., plus a few other broad-leaved plants. Due to this species food habits, it is easy to see why its seasonal adult occurrence occurs in the months which these food plants reach their abundance (Vickery and Kevan 1985).
Reproductive Characteristics
15 eggs are deposited per pod (Capinera and Sechrist 1982).
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication
Brust, M.L, W.W. Hoback, and R.J. Wright. 2008. The Grasshoppers of Nebraska. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Extension Service, APHIS.- Capinera, J.L. and T.S. Sechrist. 1982. Grasshoppers of Colorado: Identification, Biology, and Management. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University Experiment Station, Bulletin 584S. 161 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.
- Scott, R.D. 2010. Montana Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets A Pictorial Field Guide to the Orthoptera. MagpieMTGraphics, Billings, MT.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Kirk, K. and C.R. Bomar. 2005. Guide to the grasshoppers of Wisconsin. Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Integrated Science Services PUB-SS-1008. 154 p.
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