
	Description
	Differential grasshopper is a common, large, long-winged, spur-throated, short-horned grasshopper. It occurs across the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, and in California, Mexico, and Ontario Canada. It is common in the southern half of Minnesota, where it is at the northern extent of its range. The male is 1⅛″ to 17⁄16″ (28 to 37 mm) in length and yellowish-brown or army green. The female is larger, 1⅜″ to 2″ (34 to 50 mm) in length. 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. 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. 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 third leg segment (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 pattern.The fourth segment (tibia) of the hind leg is yellow with black, tooth-like spines. The remaining tibia are yellowish. The wings are long, projecting beyond the tip of the abdomen when at rest.

	Size
	Female: 1⅜″ to 2″ (34 to 50 mm) Male: 1⅛″ to 17⁄16″ (28 to 37 mm)

	Similar Species



	Habitat
	Low, moist areas, crop borders, roadsides.


	Biology
	Season
	July to October. One generation.

	Behavior
	Differential grasshopper is a strong flier.

	Life Cycle
	The female thrusts her 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. She continues depositing egg pods, ultimately laying up to 600 or more eggs. The eggs hatch in the late spring when plants are green, most 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.

	Nymph Food
	Shoots and other easily digested parts of the same plants that adults feed on.

	Adult Food
	Forbs and grasses, especially plants in the Aster family (Asteraceae), including giant ragweed, common sunflower, and prickly lettuce.


	Distribution
			Sources 7, 19, 24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.
	8/1/2023

	Occurrence
	Common. Significant crop pest.


	Taxonomy
	Order	Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids)
	Suborder	Caelifera (grasshoppers, locusts, and allies)
	Infraorder	Acrididea (grasshoppers)
	Superfamily	Acridoidea (short-horned grasshoppers and locusts)
	Family	Acrididae (short-horned grasshoppers)
	Subfamily	Melanoplinae (spur-throated grasshoppers)
	Tribe	Melanoplini
	Genus	Melanoplus (North American spur-throated grasshoppers)

	Subordinate Taxa
	differential grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis differentialis) differential grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis nigricans) (?)

	Synonyms


	Common Names
	differential grasshopper

Glossary

Femur

In insects, the largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. In humans, the thigh bone.

Pronotum

The exoskeletal plate on the upper side of the first segment of the thorax of an insect.

Tibia

The fourth segment of an insect leg, after the femur and before the tarsus (foot).


	Visitor Photos

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	Margot Diaz

	Jumped right at my face after I took this shot



	Michael B

	Was large, almost 2 inch. Probably common but I haven't ever noticed one before.



	Alfredo Colon










	Margot Avey

	This photo was taken in my neighbors back yard in St Louis Park, MN. Have never seen anything like it.



	MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

	Female


	Male and Female

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	Slideshows


	Melanoplus differentialis (Differential Grasshopper) Allen Chartier

slideshow


	Visitor Videos

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	Other Videos


	Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis) David Podgor

	About Published on Aug 23, 2012 Differential grasshopper also known as Melanoplus differentialis, found in Montgomery Village, Maryland in August 2012. For more information on this species, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_grasshopper



	Differential Grasshopper curiosity Carol Snow Milne

	About Published on Aug 21, 2013 Large 1.50 inch long Melanoplus differentialis grasshopper is curious about my ruler and likes to bite it and is uncertain how to walk on this unusual new shiny slippery surface. Eastern Pennsylvania.

Camcorder


Visitor Sightings

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Margot Diaz 9/13/2023	Location: Crozet, VA Jumped right at my face after I took this shot



Michael B 7/30/2023	Location: Steele County Was large, almost 2 inch. Probably common but I haven't ever noticed one before.



Margot Avey 7/17/2020	Location: St. Louis Park, MN



Alfredo Colon September 2019	Location: Woodbury, Minnesota



Alfredo Colon August 2019	Location: Woodbury, Minnesota



Alfredo Colon 8/19/2019	Location: Woodbury, Minnesota



Alfredo Colon 8/12/2019	Location: Woodbury, Minnesota



Alfredo Colon 8/5/2019	Location: Woodbury, Minnesota



MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Afton State Park