Image Credit: Elizabeth and Desmond L. from Grand Bend, ON
At every life stage, the Two-striped Grasshopper is a bonafide pest to important agricultural crops thanks to its voracious appetite.
Two-striped Grasshoppers are a light brown color with shades of green on the head. The top of the head is dark brown. On the sides of the crown, two yellow stripes run the length of the body from the eyes to the edges of the wings and the tip of the abdomen. The long back legs are tan with an inlay of chevrons on the sides and alternating patches of black and tan along the inner edges. Nymphs (juveniles) change color and pattern as they molt through multiple instars.
This species of grasshopper thrives on weeds at the border of and within fields of crops. They eat all parts of plants like alfalfa, corn, lentil, barley, wheat, and other small grains crops at every life stage. This results in a non-stop barrage of feeding by the insects and results in complete decimation of a field. Because stalk, flower, and seed are all consumed, plants are unlikely to reproduce on their own in the same area the next year and require reseeding.
Mating can last up to half a day as both food and sperm are transferred to females in the process. Eggs are laid in the soil before winter, and nymphs hatch in the spring when temperatures begin to rise. One generation is produced each year, but in higher elevations, it may take two years.
Two-striped Grasshoppers are active in the daytime and perch at the top of crops and vegetation at night to rest. Once the warm sunshine raises their body temperatures, they descend and either continue feeding or move on to new plants. Nymphs and adults can move in large migratory groups to new patches of vegetation. These swarms can been seen flying high above the field. Look for this species at roadsides, the edges of farm fields, in prairies, and meadows.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Insecta
Order:Orthoptera
Family:Acrididae
Genus:Melanoplus
Species:bivittatus
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Melanoplus bivittatus
Category:
Grasshopper or Cricket
Size (Adult; Length): 30mm to 55mm (1.17in to 2.15in)
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.
Colors: brown, black, yellow, green, tan
