Green-legged grasshoppers

Melanoplus is the largest genus of grasshoppers in the world. It is currently subdivided into numerous species groups. The green-legged grasshoppers form a group that currently includes 13 species. It is variously referred to as Complex Melanoplus viridipes, Melanoplus viridipes-species-group, and Viridipes group, but the official scientific name is Melanoplus supersp. viridipes.

Green-legged grasshoppers occur in the United States from Vermont to northern Georgia, west to eastern Minnesota and Missouri, and in southern Ontario Canada. Of the 13 species, only one, green-legged spur-throat grasshopper (Melanoplus viridipes), is known to occur in Minnesota.

Green-legged grasshoppers are among the first grasshoppers to mature in the spring. Adults are active from May to mid-August. Like other short-winged grasshoppers, they do not fly.

Green-legged grasshoppers are small. Adults are just 11⁄16″ to 1″ (17.5 to 25.5 mm) in length. Males are smaller than females.

On some individuals, the body has highly contrasting black, white, and green markings. On others, it is brownish above and yellowish below. The sides of the plate on the thorax (pronotum) are white on the lower half. A black band extends from behind the eye, across the upper half of the pronotum, and onto the abdomen. The wings (tegmina) are short, elliptical, and slightly overlapping. They cover less than half of the abdomen. The front and middle legs are green. The third segment (femur) on the hind legs is usually distinctly banded, sometimes moderately or only slightly banded. On the male, the appendages at the tip of the abdomen (cerci) are slightly curved downward at the tip.