Melanoplus

Members of Melanoplus can be distinguished from related grasshopper genera by the presence of a distinct spur or tubercle on the ventral surface of the throat (prosternum), giving rise to the common name "spur-throated grasshoppers." This feature separates them from Gomphocerinae and Oedipodinae subfamilies. However, the common name is sometimes applied more precisely to members of the related subfamily Catantopinae. Within Melanoplus, species identification often requires examination of male aedeagal morphology and geographic distribution, as external coloration is highly variable and unreliable for distinguishing closely related species. The genus is characterized by medium to large body size, with tegmina typically extending beyond the abdomen.

Habitats vary widely by species, ranging from alpine meadows and sagebrush steppe to cultivated fields, pastures, roadsides, and suburban lawns. Many species occupy dense stands of grasses and forbs, with some restricted to riparian areas in arid regions. Host plant associations influence local distribution patterns, with some species showing specificity to sagebrush, grasses, or forbs.

Native to North America, with distribution spanning Canada, the United States, and extending into central Mexico. The genus occupies diverse ecological zones from subarctic regions to subtropical areas, including the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and eastern deciduous forests. Distribution records indicate presence across Subarctic America, Eastern Canada, the Northeastern and Southeastern United States, and Alberta.

Most species overwinter as eggs, with adults present from summer through first frost, typically July to October. Timing varies by species and latitude, with some alpine and northern species having shorter adult seasons.

Herbivorous, feeding primarily on grasses and forbs. Diet includes leaves of grasses, leafy agricultural crops, garden plants, and occasionally flowers, fruits, buds, and tree bark. Some species are polyphagous, consuming multiple grass and forb species, while others show preferences for specific host plants such as sagebrush, bluegrass, or alfalfa. Several species are significant agricultural pests due to their broad host range and feeding on economically important crops.

Egg pods containing 20–29 eggs arranged in two columns are deposited in soil. Eggs overwinter, with hatching in spring. Nymphs pass through five instars before reaching adulthood. Adults are present from mid-summer until frost, with timing varying by species and location.

Most species are solitary, though some exhibit gregarious behavior and migratory tendencies under favorable conditions. Mating behavior involves species-specific courtship patterns and male-female interactions. Some species have shown slight tendencies toward mass flights during severe outbreaks, though true migratory behavior is limited to a few species.

Primary consumers in grassland and agricultural ecosystems. Serve as prey for birds, reptiles, amphibians, and predatory insects. Some species act as intermediate hosts for poultry parasites including tapeworms (Choanotaenia infundibulum, Metroliasth lucida) and the globular stomach worm (Tetrameres americana), affecting turkeys, quail, and guinea fowl.

Several species are major agricultural pests, causing damage to crops and rangeland. The Rocky Mountain locust (M. spretus) was the most significant insect pest of the 19th-century Great Plains before its extinction in 1902. Contemporary pest species include the migratory grasshopper (M. sanguinipes), two-striped grasshopper (M. bivittatus), and differential grasshopper (M. differentialis). Some species become suburban pests in disturbed habitats. The genus is frequently studied in entomology and rangeland management due to its economic impact.

• Catantopinae (subfamily)Also called "spur-throated grasshoppers" due to similar prosternal spur; distinguished by different tribal and generic characteristics within Acrididae
• GomphocerinaeSlant-faced grasshoppers lack the prosternal spur characteristic of Melanoplus; typically have more slender bodies and different head profiles
• OedipodinaeBand-winged grasshoppers lack prosternal spur and typically have enlarged hind wings with distinctive color patterns; different stridulatory mechanisms

The common name "spur-throated grasshopper" is often applied to Melanoplus, but more properly refers to members of subfamily Catantopinae. This creates confusion in identification and literature. Additionally, the extinct Rocky Mountain locust (M. spretus) was historically conflated with other Melanoplus species, but represents a distinct species that underwent dramatic population crashes leading to extinction.

• grasshopper
• locust
• agricultural pest
• North America
• spur-throated
• Melanoplinae

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Species Records and Accounts
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• List of Species Fact Sheets| Grasshoppers of Wyoming and the West
• Mating Behavior of the Grasshopper Melanoplus tequestae (Orthoptera: Acrididae)
• Peer Review #1 of "Forms of Melanoplus bowditchi (Orthoptera: Acrididae) collected from different host plants are indistinguishable genetically and in aedeagal morphology (v0.1)"