Montana Field Guide

A flightless, striking grasshopper, distinctly banded with contrasting reddish-orange, yellow or white, and blue or black body colors, a pattern for which this species is often called the “Barber-pole” or “Painted” Grasshopper (Scott 2010). The following is taken from Capinera et al. (2004), Isley (1938), and Vickery and Kevan (1985). Despite its striking coloration it is often difficult to detect amid its natural background habitat due to its fragmented color pattern. It is among the few “warning” species within the Orthoptera, and known to be distasteful to birds.

The Pictured Grasshopper passes the winter underground in the egg stage. The eggs hatch late in early summer. Adults are present in August and September. The species is relatively short-lived (Vickery and Kevan 1985).

The following is taken from Capinera et. al. (2004), Isley (1938), Scott (2010), and Vickery and Kevan (1985). This is a medium size grasshopper. The male body length is about 24 mm and female about 32 mm. The pronotum is somewhat cylindrical and textured with small depressions. The dorsal posterior margin of the pronotum is rounded. The tegmina (forewings) are very small and black with fine yellow veins. There are two subspecies: D. bicolor pictum and D. bicolor varigatum. The Montana subspecies is D. bicolor pictum.

There is never any confusion nor difficulty in identifying this species.

Inhabits short-grass prairie and sagebrush steppe areas of sparse vegetation. Has been found to be sometimes numerous in alfalfa fields, but only for the more southern subspecies, D. bicolor varigatum (Capinera and Sechrist 1982, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

Feeds on low-growing, broad-leaf plants, such as scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea) and scurf-pea, Psoralidium sp. Species is considered “forbivorus” and of little “economic pest” importance (Capinera and Sechrist 1982, and Vickery and Kevan 1985).

The following is taken from Capinera et al. (2004) and Vickery and Kevan (1985). Overwinters in the egg stage. 15 to 25 eggs are deposited within 3 or 4 pods and hatch relatively late in summer. This species seems to prefer creek loam, sand sites and other soft soils for oviposition. Currently, the number of nymphal instars has not been determined.