Montana Field Guide

The following comes from Brooks (1958), Helfer (1971), Otte (1981), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), Vickery and Kevan (1985), McDaniel (1987), Capinera et al. (2004), and Scott (2010). This small to medium size species exhibits sexual dimorphism between males and females. Males have totally black lateral lobes on the pronotum, and the dorsal disk is pale brown or straw-colored. The wings (tegmina) are bluntly round and expanded at the tips, which do not extend to the tip of abdomen. Females do not have black on the lateral sides of the pronotum. The wings are short and conspicuously speckled, reaching only to the 4th abdominal segment.

Overwinters in the egg stage in rotting wood. Adults occur from July through September (Otte 1981, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

The following is taken from Brooks (1958), Helfer (1971), Otte (1981), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), Vickery and Kevan (1985), McDaniel (1987), Capinera et al. (2004), and Scott (2010). Body size in males is 15 mm to 20 mm, females 20 mm to 28 mm. Outer face of the hind femur in males is banded with gray and ivory, the medial area with an ivory or pale spot in the middle section. In females, the banding is indistinct. The hind knees are black, and the hind tibia is orange or red. The basal abdominal segments are black but fades toward the tip.

A congener with Thomas’ Broad-winged Grasshopper (Chloealtis abdominalis), which has no black on lateral lobes of pronotum nor on the abdominal segments.

Found in dry, upland woodlands, thickets, edges of woods, fence lines, and bushy pastures, wherever there are old tree stumps and rotting wood for depositing eggs (Capinera and Sechrist (1982), and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

Primarily a grass feeder, favoring Canada bluegrass (Poa compressa), as well as some non-native species such as orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and timothy (Capinera and Sechrist 1982, Otte 1984, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

This species lays its egg in rotting wood. Holes are usually made 0.75 inch (about 19 mm) deep. The female will oviposit in soil or dung if wood is not available. Ten to fourteen eggs are in a pod. The nymphs pass through 5 instars before reaching the adult stage (Capinera and Sechrist 1982, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).