Montana Field Guide

The following is taken from Brooks (1958), Vickery and Kevan (1985), Pfadt (2002), Capinera et al. (2004), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), and Scott (2010). A small to medium grasshopper, gray, bluish-gray, or reddish brown in color. A dark stripe extends from the back of the eye across the lateral lobes of the pronotum. The wings are long and extend 3 to 5 mm beyond the abdomen tip and bear a few fine dark spots along the mid-line.

The Sagebrush Grasshopper overwinter in the egg stage. Upon hatching, the nymphs pass through 5 instars, and adults begin to appear during the first weeks of July. They occur from July to September (Capinera and Sechrist 1982, Scott 2010, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

Taken from Brooks (1958), Vickery and Kevan (1985), Pfadt (2002), Capinera et al. (2004), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), and Scott (2010). The body length to end of forewings for males is 19 to 23 mm, and females 22 to 26 mm. Hind femur outer face is marked with chevrons separated by white lines. The hind tibia is blue. Examining the male genitalia and aedeagus is essential for identifying this species.

Any number of Melanoplus species can be confused with this species without collecting male specimens for genitalia comparisons to make positive identifications. This species is almost identical to the Yellowish Spur-throat Grasshopper (M. flavidus). The wing (tegmina) tends to be more spotted in M. bowditchi, and its aedeagus is not cup-shaped at the tip (Capinera and Sechrist 1982).

Inhabits mixed grass, short grass, desert, bunchgrass prairies, and dry open woodlands. Within these habitats, its distribution largely depends upon the presence of sagebrush, Artemisia (Pfadt 2002, Capinera et al. 2004, and Capinera and Sechrist 1982).

Feeds almost exclusively upon several species of sagebrush. Of six species, it favors silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana), and Sand sagebrush, A. filifolia (Capinera and Sechrist 1982, Pfadt 2002, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

No observations have been made in nature relative to its courtship, mating, and oviposition. Egg pods are surrounded by a froth, surrounding a cluster of 12 to 13 eggs (Pfadt 2002).