Melanoplus differentialis

Common. Significant crop pest.

July to October. One generation.

Low, moist areas, crop borders, roadsides.

1″ to 13 ⁄16″

This is a common, large, long-winged, spur-throated, short-horned grasshopper. It is a strong flier.

The body of the male is 1″ to 13 ⁄16″ long and yellowish-brown or army green. The female is larger than the male.

There are no pale stripes on the upper (dorsal) part of the pronotum. On the sides of the pronotum there are 3 narrow, black, vertical grooves. There is a distinct, spiny bump (spur) at the base of the neck, between the base of the forelegs. The antennae are usually yellow, sometimes reddish-yellow, and are no more than ½ the length of the body.

On the middle pair of legs, the foot (tarsus) is divided into two segments. On the hind pair of legs, the narrow upper portion (the outer face) of the hind femur is yellow. The narrow lower portion (the inner face) of the hind femur is yellow. The middle portion of the femur, the broad area between the outer face and inner face, is grooved in a distinct, black, herringbone or pattern. The hind tibia is yellow with black, tooth-like spines. The remaining tibia are yellowish.

The pair of long appendages on the last abdominal segment (cerci) are boot-shaped with a heel, but this is not visible without a hand lens.

The wings are long, projecting beyond the tip of the abdomen when at rest.

Forbs and grasses, especially Asteraceae, including giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida), common sunflower (Helianthus annuus), and prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola).

The female thrusts its ovipositor into sod or rank vegetation and deposits a pod containing 45 to 194 eggs. The pods are curved and are about 1½″ long and ¼″ in diameter. The female continues depositing egg pods, ultimately laying up to 600 or more eggs. The eggs hatch in the late spring when plants are green, most hatching over a period of about 14 days. The nymphs mature into adults in about 32 days. Nymphal development is well synchronized, and most transform into adults in just a few days.