Aeoloplides turnbulli

Adults are medium-sized and robust with distinctive tan coloration and fuscous markings. The pronotal disk displays lateral light bands separated by a broad fuscous band divided by the median carina, which may be partly or entirely light tan. The hind femur bears three characteristic fuscous marks on the medial area that usually extend dorsally onto upper marginal areas. The hind tibia is typically medium blue with a pale tan annulus near the base. Males possess minute furcula lobes, a subgenital plate with a conspicuous subapical tubercle, and triangular slender cerci. The two subspecies differ in wing length: A. t. turnbulli has wings 2–4 mm short of the abdomen tip (sometimes 3–6 mm short of the hind femur in Big Horn Basin populations), while A. t. bruneri has wings surpassing the abdomen end. Nymphs are identifiable by the pronotal disk shape, which widens distinctly from front to rear—a diagnostic character.

Inhabits desert shrub sites, local alkali flats vegetated with saltbush and black greasewood, and grasslands where host forbs occur. Does not feed on grasses. In Wyoming, occurs in desert shrub associations dominated by saltbush (Atriplex spp.), particularly Gardner saltbush communities in the Big Horn Basin. Also found in disturbed sites, crop borders, weedy rangeland, and roadsides with abundant chenopod weeds.

Western North America from southern Canada to northern Mexico. Documented in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming. In Wyoming, primarily recorded from the Big Horn Basin and eastern regions; underrepresented in standard rangeland surveys due to association with weedy habitats. Two accidentals of the southern subspecies A. t. bruneri collected in mountains west of Boulder, Colorado, at 7,700 and 12,100 feet elevation demonstrate dispersal capability.

Early-hatching species. First instars appear in late April to early May in eastern Wyoming weedy habitats, and one to two weeks earlier in Big Horn Basin desert shrub. Hatching period extends four to five weeks. Adults appear mid-June in Big Horn Basin, late June in southeastern Wyoming weedy sites.

Obligate feeder on Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot family). Principal host plants include shrubs: fourwing saltbush, Gardner saltbush, white sage/winterfat (Ceratoides lanata), and black greasewood; and stout herbs: kochia, Russian thistle, and lambsquarters. Feeds selectively on young tissue, climbing to growing tips from roosting positions. Field observations and gut analyses indicate sparing consumption of forbs from at least six additional plant families, but Chenopodiaceae dominates.

Overwinters as eggs in soil. Hatching begins late April to early May; extended hatching period lasts 4–5 weeks. Five nymphal instars required for both sexes; nymphal period lasts 50–60 days due to robust body development, early spring hatching, and cooler ambient temperatures on host plants. Adults appear June–July. Oviposition occurs in bare ground; observed attempts in August at soil surface temperatures of 120–121°F. Egg pods are stubby, 7/16 inch long, 3/16 inch diameter, slightly curved with sloping cap and pinched top. Pods lack froth plug but have reddish-brown froth surrounding egg mass. Eggs light-reddish brown to tan, 4.0–4.4 mm long, 12–18 per pod. High fecundity: caged females averaged 250 eggs each in Canada. One generation annually.

Phytophilous species spending much time on host plants. Nymphs and adults roost vertically head-up on shrub stems at night; some rest on ground litter. Basking begins one hour after sunrise, lasting approximately two hours, achieved by adjusting position to expose sides or back to sun, sometimes lowering a hindleg. Ground basking occurs in sparse vegetation habitats. Daily activities include feeding on growing tips, molting, short-distance dispersal, and mating. Mating pairs occupy both host plants and ground. When flushed, adults fly silent, straight, low (4–6 inches height) for average 3.6 feet, usually landing face away from intruder. During midday ground temperatures exceeding 120°F, grasshoppers face away from sun and stilt, or seek shade under vegetation. Evening cooling triggers renewed activity and basking before shelter-seeking at sunset.

Population irruptions can significantly impact chenopod shrub communities. In desert shrub habitats, damage to valuable forage chenopods including Gardner saltbush, fourwing saltbush, and winterfat reduces winter livestock forage. In disturbed habitats, plays beneficial role by feeding on growing points of weedy chenopods (kochia, Russian thistle, lambsquarters), reducing seed production and foliage. Serves as prey for various vertebrate and invertebrate predators; subject to disease epizootics (population in Kansas 1941 nearly eliminated by undetermined pathogen).

Economic status context-dependent: pest when damaging sugar beets (western Kansas 1938), wheat-adjacent Russian thistle (though crop damage avoided when preferred host abundant), or valuable rangeland forage chenopods; beneficial when suppressing weedy chenopods on disturbed land. Underrepresented in standard APHIS rangeland surveys due to habitat preferences, leading to potential underestimation of local abundance. Large size places it in largest third of rangeland grasshoppers (females 548 mg live weight, males 296 mg in Gardner saltbush habitats).

• Hesperotettix viridisBoth are spur-throated grasshoppers (Melanoplinae) with green and spotted color forms, but H. viridis feeds on Compositae (snakeweeds, rabbitbrush) rather than Chenopodiaceae, has longer wings reaching or nearly reaching abdomen tip, and displays median light line on pronotum absent in A. turnbulli. H. viridis nymphs have filiform antennae with pale annuli and different hind femur markings.
• Melanoplus bivittatusShares early hatching phenology and overlapping habitat in eastern Wyoming, but M. bivittatus is a generalist feeder on grasses and forbs with distinctive pale stripes on back and wings, lacks the robust chenopod-specialist morphology, and has different pronotal proportions.

• grasshopper
• spur-throated
• chenopod specialist
• early hatching
• economic pest
• beneficial insect
• subspecies dimorphism
• wing polymorphism
• phytophilous
• Big Horn Basin
• western Kansas outbreak
• Melanoplinae

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Russianthistle Grasshopper
• List of Species Fact Sheets| Grasshoppers of Wyoming and the West
• Species Records and Accounts
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Snakeweed Grasshopper
• Wyoming Distribution Atlas