Encoptolophus

Adults distinguished from similar genera by combination of long wings extending beyond abdomen, banded tegmina, blue hind tibia, and fastigium longer than wide. Nymphs identifiable by clavate antennae in instars I-III (becoming filiform in IV-V), four distinct longitudinal ridges with black lines between them on outer faces of fore- and midleg femora and tibiae, and pink medial area of hind femur in distal half of instar I. Pronotum disk slopes moderately with obtuse posterior angle (not tectate as in Chortophaga). Early instars may be confused with Chortophaga viridifasciata but differ in antennal shape, leg ridge structure, and hind femur coloration.

Medium-sized grasshoppers with long wings that extend 1-4 mm beyond the abdomen tip. Tegmina are banded; hind wings possess weak apical dark bands that may occasionally be dark and distinct. Body coloration ranges from dark brown to greenish. Hind tibia is blue. Hind femur outer surface displays three dark bands (weak or absent in green specimens), with dark knee. Fastigium is distinctly longer than wide in males, and ranges from slightly to distinctly longer than wide in females.

Inhabits grasslands including mixedgrass prairie, shortgrass prairie, bunchgrass prairie, and desert prairies. Most abundant in northern mixedgrass prairie. Favors moist areas with rich grass and sedge growth interspersed with bare ground. In southern distribution, occupies mesic swales and roadsides dominated by western wheatgrass, and prairies with Houston black clay soil dominated by Texas needlegrass. Also found in fine sandy loam soils. Requires bare ground for basking and oviposition.

Western North America from Canada to Mexico. Documented in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, and Mexico (Central and Northeast regions). Ranges widely across western plains and prairie ecosystems.

Intermediate-developing species. Hatching begins early to mid June in northern mixedgrass prairie, continuing for six to eight weeks. Adults appear August 8-14 in Wyoming and Saskatchewan. In southern distribution (northeastern Texas), adults appear by mid April with second generation adults by August, and juvenile stages present year-round with at least two generations annually.

Primarily feeds on grasses and sedges. Principal host plants include western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) and needleleaf sedge (Carex eleocharis). Other consumed plants include northern wheatgrass, needleandthread, green needlegrass, blue grama, quackgrass, prairie junegrass, sand dropseed, little bluestem, sideoats grama, Kentucky bluegrass, foxtail barley, timothy, and Penn sedge. Forbs constitute approximately 1% of natural diet but may be consumed under stress conditions or in atypical habitats; laboratory tests show acceptance of scarlet globemallow, prairie coneflower, dandelion, and vetch.

• Pascopyrum smithii - principal host plantwestern wheatgrass
• Carex eleocharis - preferred food plantneedleleaf sedge; consumed at more than twice the rate expected by abundance, especially important for early instars
• Hesperostipa comata - food plantneedleandthread
• Nassella viridula - food plantgreen needlegrass
• Bouteloua gracilis - food plantblue grama
• Elymus repens - food plantquackgrass
• Koeleria macrantha - food plantprairie junegrass
• Sporobolus cryptandrus - food plantsand dropseed
• Schizachyrium scoparium - food plantlittle bluestem
• Bouteloua curtipendula - food plantsideoats grama
• Poa pratensis - food plantKentucky bluegrass
• Hordeum jubatum - food plantfoxtail barley
• Phleum pratense - food planttimothy
• Carex pennsylvanica - food plantPenn sedge

Egg stage overwinters. Hatching begins early to mid June in northern range, with prolonged hatching period of six to eight weeks. Nymphal development requires five instars for both sexes, lasting 56-66 days based on field observations. Adults appear mid-August in northern latitudes; earlier in southern distribution with multiple generations possible. Fledgling adults require two to three weeks of growth and maturation before mating. Oviposition may begin by day 16 of adulthood. Egg pods are 3/4 inch long, slightly curved, containing 14-20 tan eggs measuring 4.0-4.4 mm.

Geophilus species spending nearly all time on the ground. Nocturnal resting position: sitting horizontally on bare soil and litter, often under thin canopy of leaves surrounded by grasses. Basking behavior: one to two hours after sunrise, individuals turn side perpendicular to sun rays and lower associated hindleg to expose abdomen for two to three hours. Second basking period occurs late in day until sunset. Feeding occurs during midday hours (9:12 a.m. to 1:27 p.m.) at ground temperatures 76-126°F. At extreme high temperatures (125°F+), takes evasive actions: resting in partial shade, sitting on grass 0.5 inch above ground, crawling into full shade, or climbing onto litter facing sun to minimize body exposure. Males make frequent crepitation flights to arouse females; when pursuing potential mate on ground, produces single burst of vibratory stridulation followed by single pulse of ordinary stridulation while moving toward individual. Dispersal and migration by flight enabled by long wings and strong thoracic muscles; documented fall dispersal events including mixed species swarms and movement from depleted rangeland into adjacent crops.

Rangeland herbivore, typically subdominant member of grasshopper assemblages that contributes to cumulative grazing pressure. In favorable habitats, may become locally dominant species (documented at 74% of grasshopper population at Matador site, Saskatchewan). Consumes approximately 1.5-2.4% of annual grass production in studied populations. Serves as prey for various vertebrate and invertebrate predators in grassland ecosystems.

Minor agricultural pest. Reported as minor pest in alfalfa in Arizona and North Dakota, and as pest in fall wheat in Nebraska (adults migrated from depleted rangeland into adjacent wheat crop). Generally causes limited damage individually but contributes to cumulative defoliation in multi-species grasshopper outbreaks. No significant direct economic impact documented; populations typically too low for standalone pest status.

• Chortophaga viridifasciataEarly instar nymphs appear similar—both usually green and structurally similar. Distinguished by: ensiform (not clavate) antennae; two distinct longitudinal ridges on fore- and midleg femora/tibiae with weak third ridge and no black lines between ridges (vs. four distinct ridges with black lines); entirely green hind femur in instar I (vs. pink in distal half); tectate (steep roof-like) pronotum disk with acute posterior angle in instars IV-V (vs. moderately sloping with obtuse angle).
• NebulatettixFormerly classified within Encoptolophus; separated based on phylogenetic analysis showing Encoptolophus as historically non-monophyletic. Members transferred to new genus Nebulatettix based on morphological and molecular characters.
• ChimarocephalaEncoptolophus californicus transferred to this genus based on phylogenetic revision; historically used combination now restored.

• grasshopper
• band-winged
• prairie
• rangeland
• western North America

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Comparison
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Dusky Grasshopper
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Grasshoppers of Colorado
• Food preferences of the dusky grasshopper, Encoptolophus sordidus costalis (Scudder) (Orthoptera: Acrididae)
• A phylogenetic review of the North American band-winged grasshopper genus, Encoptolophus Scudder with description of Nebulatettix gen.n. (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Oedipodinae)