Montana Field Guide

The following is taken from Helfer (1971), Otte (1981), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), Richman et al. (1993), Capinera et al. (2004), and Brust et al. (2008). This long, slender bodied grasshopper is variable in body color, which can be light green, light brown, pinkish or yellowish and tends to be uniform in the individual. The face is strongly slanted, with a pale stripe extending from below the eyes, across the ventral lateral lobe of the pronotum (thorax). The eyes are oblong, and the antennae are sword-shaped (ensiform) and close to the eyes. The tegmina (forewings) are pointed and shortened, reaching only to the 5th abdominal segment. In males the hind femur extends to last abdominal segment, in females nearly to the tip of the of the forewings. The hind tibia can be a dull green or blueish with black spines.

This species overwinters in the egg stage. Nymphs occur in spring and early summer (dates not reported). Adults occur from July to October (Otte 1981, Capinera and Sechrist 1982, Capinera et al. 2004, and Brust et al. 2008).

The following comes from Helfer (1971), Otte (1981), Capinera and Sechrist (1982), Richman et al. (1993), Capinera et al. (2004), and Brust et al. (2008). The body length for males is 19-31 mm, and 25-40 mm for females. The male subgenital plate is long and pointed.

The Wyoming Toothpick Grasshopper could be confused with the only other toothpick grasshopper occurring in Montana, Short-winged Toothpick Grasshopper (Pseudopomala brachyptera).

This species inhabits low, moist to wet areas in grasslands and prairies with small to medium grass clumps. It clings to grass stems and difficult to flush. During disturbance, it makes short flights and seeks cover in other grass clumps. However, it is often reluctant to jump and often freezes when approached (Otte 1981, Capinera et al. 2004, and Brust et al. 2008).

Consumes almost exclusively grasses such as: Western Wheatgrass (Elymus smithii), bluegrasses (Poa sp.), Needle-and-Thread (Stipa comata), Blue gramma (Bouteloua gracilis), Sand Dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus), Purple Three-awn Grass (Aristida purpurea), Long-stolon Sedge (Carex inops), Indian Ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides), Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). It has been reported to feed on milkvetches (Astragalus sp.) (Otte 1981, Capinera and Sechrist 1982, Capinera et al. 2004, and Brust et al. 2008).

Nymphs pass through 5 instars before reaching the adult stage. Courtship, mating, and egg laying habits are unknown (Capinera and Sechrist 1982).