Differential Grasshopper Melanoplus differentialis
Identification
This grasshopper has yellow green body with black herringbone patterns on hind legs.
Location
Common statewide
Size
One to two inches
Diet
It feeds on grasses crops and broadleaf plants.
Habitat
It occurs in fields and disturbed areas.
Activity Period
June to October
Behavior
It is strong jumping and often forms local outbreaks. It is most active in warm months.
Lifecycle
Breeding occurs in late summer with eggs laid in soil.
Population
The population is stable statewide.
History
It has long been widespread in Ohio.
Human Interactions
It may damage crops during outbreaks.
Facts
Its hind legs have distinctive chevron markings.
Sources
ODNR academic sources
Grasses crops weeds | Fields roadsides farms | Statewide