Bruneria

Distinguished from other Gomphocerinae by the combination of: slanted face with vertical ivory band; ivory streak from rear of eye onto pronotal lateral carina; pronotum with median carina incised once; long wings with spotted tegmen and ivory streak near front edge; hind femur with three light spots in dark dorsal stripe; orange or red hind tibia. Nymphs identifiable by oblong lateral foveolae, pronotal carina structure, and progressive development of color patterns through instars. B. brunnea specifically distinguished from congeneric species by geographic range and subtle morphological differences; B. shastana and B. yukonensis have more restricted distributions in California and the Yukon respectively.

Inhabits mixedgrass and bunchgrass prairies, mountain meadows and parklands, and alpine tundra. Found at elevations from 1,600 to 11,100 feet. In northern mixedgrass prairie, occurs on suitable hillsides with small, local populations. Requires green grasses and sedges for food, ground litter for shelter, and interspersed bare ground for basking and oviposition.

Northwestern North America: northwestern United States (Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, North Dakota) and southwestern Canada (British Columbia, Manitoba, Yukon). B. brunnea ranges widely in hills and mountains of the northwestern United States; B. shastana occurs in California; B. yukonensis in the Yukon.

Hatching occurs in June, with timing varying by elevation and yearly snow depth and spring melt. Nymphal period lasts 40-46 days. Adults appear in July, with exact timing dependent on seasonal temperatures; eclosion period lasts 16-21 days. Oviposition begins approximately 18 days after first adult appearance and continues into late September or early October if weather permits. May have a two-year life cycle in mountain meadows and northern grasslands.

Feeds on grasses and sedges. Diet composition varies by habitat availability. Documented host plants include Agropyron, Bouteloua, Carex, Koeleria, and Stipa species in northern mixedgrass prairie; Idaho fescue, spikefescue, thickspike wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus), needleandthread, rock sedge, and threadleaf sedge in Wyoming mountain meadows. Exhibits feeding selectivity, preferring certain grass species over others when given choice.

Eggs overwinter in soil pods. Hatching in June; nymphal development through four instars over 40-46 days. Adults emerge July-August. Oviposition occurs late summer into autumn. Pods are 1/2 to 5/8 inch long, inserted diagonally into soil with top 1/4 to 3/8 inch below surface; contain 2-10 eggs (average 6). Eggs yellow, 5.5-6.4 mm long, surrounded by pale tan froth and topped with off-white froth. Field observations suggest possible two-year life cycle in some populations, though this remains unconfirmed by embryonic development research.

Geophilous species spending day on ground surface and night hidden in ground litter. Basks by turning side perpendicular to sun and lowering associated hindleg to expose abdomen; morning basking lasts approximately three hours. Feeds by climbing diagonally onto grass plants, cutting leaves 1/2 inch above base, holding cut section with front tarsi, and consuming entire section. Also feeds on ground litter in short bouts. Flushed flight is straight, silent, 2-8 feet at heights of 4-6 inches; usually lands on ground headed away from intruder. Limited evidence for migration; one long-winged female found on Montana glacier with migratory species, and drought-driven movements to green vegetation documented.

Primary consumer in grassland and alpine meadow ecosystems. As a grass-feeder, contributes to nutrient cycling and energy transfer in these habitats. During irruptions, can become dominant member of grasshopper assemblages, altering competitive dynamics and forage availability for livestock and wildlife.

Economic pest of mountain and foothill grasslands during population irruptions. A 1920 outbreak in southwestern British Columbia covered 2,000 square miles with B. brunnea comprising 50% of the assemblage, causing considerable damage to range grasses. At high densities (up to 15 per square yard documented in Wyoming 1988-1994), contributes to assemblage damage to forage. Typically subdominant, adding to damage caused by dominant species. No experimental studies of damage quantification; estimates based on adult weights. Potential for outbreak conditions in favorable years.

• Chorthippus curtipennisBoth in Gomphocerinae with slanted faces and similar habitats; distinguished by C. curtipennis having more strongly slanted face, antennae thickening and blackening distally, pronotal carinae cut once behind middle, and different wing dimorphism (females typically short-winged)
• Aeropedellus clavatusBoth Gomphocerinae in similar montane habitats; A. clavatus has clubbed antennae tips and different pronotal structure
• Melanoplus alpinusOverlaps in mountain meadow habitats but in subfamily Melanoplinae; distinguished by different head shape (nearly vertical face), different cercus structure in males, and more forb-dominated diet

• grasshopper
• slant-faced
• Gomphocerinae
• North America
• mountain meadow
• alpine
• pest
• grass-feeder

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• List of Species Fact Sheets| Grasshoppers of Wyoming and the West
• Meadow Grasshopper
• Ebony Grasshopper
• Bruner Slantfaced Grasshopper
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Kennicott Grasshopper