Dissosteira

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Dissosteira: //ˌdɪs.oʊsˈtaɪ.rə//

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Summary

Dissosteira is a genus of slender grasshoppers, particularly known for Dissosteira carolina, which inhabits weedy grasslands across North America. They exhibit remarkable flight patterns and camouflage abilities, making them interesting subjects of study in entomology.

Physical Characteristics

Relatively slender grasshoppers. Pronotum with median carina high, crest-like, deeply obliquely cut once, and sometimes shallowly notched in front of cut. Hind femora slender. Hind tibiae yellow to brownish or blackish, or to blue in D. pictipennis, never orange to red. Wings black with pale margin, pale yellowish with dark margin, or rose to red with a curving dark median band.

Identification Tips

Individuals may be mistaken for butterflies due to large size and flight characteristics. Their conspicuous size and colorful wings aid in identification.

Habitat

Weedy grasslands, disturbed sites, and areas with patches of bare ground.

Distribution

Found throughout North America, from southern Canada to the Atlantic Coast and throughout the United States, as far south as Florida and as far west as Idaho.

Diet

Feeds on grasses and forbs, with a diet that varies based on habitat. Key food sources include Bromus tectorum, Bromus inermis, Pascopyrum smithii, wheat, barley, dandelion, and Bassia.

Life Cycle

Nymphs may emerge from eggs within two weeks, or hatching may extend over several weeks. Development varies with altitude, with nymph periods from about 40 to 55 days. Adult emergence timing depends on geographic location.

Reproduction

Males court females with stridulation and flight displays. Females prefer ovipositing in compacted bare ground, laying eggs in a pod containing often more than 40 eggs.

Predators

Preyed on by various birds, pallid bats, Carolina wolf spiders, praying mantis, and great black wasps.

Ecosystem Role

Minor herbivore, impacting grasses and weeds; contributes to food web as prey for various predators.

Economic Impact

Minor pest of grasses in rangeland; known to cause stand damage in crops like wheat, alfalfa, and tobacco, particularly in disturbed areas.

Collecting Methods

• Light traps
• Hand netting

Preservation Methods

• Ethanol preservation
• Drying

Misconceptions

Often mistaken for butterflies due to their large size and bobbing flight.

Tags

• grasshopper
• Dissosteira
• herbivore
• North America