Painted Grasshopper

Showcasing the colors of a summer sunset, it seems fitting that the Painted Grasshopper is native to the western part of the continent.

The multicolored Painted Grasshopper goes by many names, each attempting to be as descriptive as words allow for such a spectacle. Rainbow Grasshopper, Pictured Grasshopper, and Barber Pole Grasshopper are a few examples. Regardless of what they are called, they sport magnificently detailed patterns all over their bodies. The head has hues of orange-red while the abdomen is yellow. The legs have a chevron pattern on the sides while the abdomen has bands. Small wings cover the middle of the body.

This species is active from spring through half of autumn. Eggs laid late in the fall overwinter and emerge as adults in the spring. Two generations can be produced each year in warmer regions. Look for Painted Grasshoppers in brush, grasslands, chaparral, prairies and deserts with a little vegetation.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Orthoptera

Family: Acrididae

Genus: Dactylotum

Species: bicolor

Identifying Information

Scientific Name: Dactylotum bicolor

Other Name(s): Rainbow Grasshopper, Barber Pole Grasshopper, Uncle Sam Grasshopper, Pictured Grasshopper

Category: Grasshopper or Cricket

Size (Adult; Length): 20mm to 35mm (0.78in to 1.37in)

Colors: orange, yellow, black

Descriptors: multicolored, colorful, jumping, patterned, weird

Territorial Map

Alaska

Hawaii

Prince Edward Is.

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Canadian territory of Saskatchewan graphic

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Territorial Reach (A-to-Z)

Newfoundland and Labrador

Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.

Painted Grasshopper (Dactylotum bicolor)

Showcasing the colors of a summer sunset, it seems fitting that the Painted Grasshopper is native to the western part of the continent.