Crepitation
Guides
Arphia
band-winged grasshoppers
Arphia is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, containing at least 11 described species distributed across western North America. The genus is characterized by species with brightly colored hind wings—typically red, yellow, or orange—that are concealed at rest but displayed during flight. Several species are notable for producing audible crepitation sounds by snapping their wings together during courtship and territorial displays. Members occupy diverse grassland habitats from lowland prairies to high-elevation mountain meadows.
Arphia conspersa
Speckle-winged Rangeland Grasshopper, Speckled Rangeland Grasshopper
Arphia conspersa is a large band-winged grasshopper (family Acrididae, subfamily Oedipodinae) distributed across western North America from Alaska to Mexico. Adults are active primarily in spring, distinguishing them seasonally from the related redwinged grasshopper (Arphia pseudonietana) which appears in late summer and fall. The species exhibits distinctive visual and acoustical courtship displays, with males performing aggregation flights accompanied by crackling crepitation. It inhabits diverse grassland habitats including prairies, desert shrub communities, and montane meadows up to 11,000 feet elevation.
Chortophaga viridifasciata viridifasciata
Greenstriped Grasshopper, Northern Green-striped Locust
The greenstriped grasshopper is a medium-sized bandwinged species widely distributed across North America, extending into Central America. Northern populations are univoltine, overwintering as late-instar nymphs and maturing in early spring, while southern populations may produce two or more generations annually. Adults exhibit strong sexual dimorphism in coloration: most females are green, most males are brown. The species is a strong flier with long wings extending beyond the abdomen, and males produce crepitation during flight. Though abundant in the eastern United States, populations remain patchy in western regions where the species is restricted to moist microhabitats.
Hippiscini
band-winged grasshoppers
Hippiscini is a tribe of band-winged grasshoppers within the subfamily Oedipodinae and family Acrididae. Members are characterized by their distinctive banded or patterned wings, which are often brightly colored and visible during flight. The tribe has a worldwide distribution, with many species inhabiting xeric, open habitats including grasslands, prairies, and weedy fields. Some species within this group have historically been considered important locust pests due to their potential for population outbreaks and gregarious behavior.
Platypedia
Wing-tapping Cicadas
Platypedia is a genus of cicadas in the family Cicadidae containing at least 20 described species distributed across western North America. Unlike most cicadas, males in this genus lack tymbal organs and instead produce sound through crepitation—snapping their wings together or striking them against vegetation. This alternative sound production mechanism enables two-way acoustic communication between males and females, as females also produce sound. The genus occurs primarily in montane habitats, with species segregated by elevation.
Platypedia areolata
Salmonfly Cicada, salmonfly
Platypedia areolata, commonly known as the salmonfly cicada, is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae found in western North America. Unlike most cicadas that produce sound using tymbal organs, males of this species communicate through crepitation—snapping their wings together or against vegetation to create audible signals. This species is part of a genus containing 21 species and four subspecies distributed across western North America.
Platypedia barbata
Platypedia barbata is a species of cicada described by Davis in 1920. Like other members of its genus, it lacks the timbal organs used by most cicadas for sound production. Instead, it produces sound through crepitation—snapping its wings against its body or substrate. The species occurs in California and is part of a diverse western North American genus comprising 21 species and four subspecies.
Platypedia bernardinoensis
Platypedia bernardinoensis is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae. It belongs to a group of cicadas known as "wing-bangers" or "wing-tappers" that produce sound by snapping their wings against vegetation rather than using the tymbal organs typical of most cicadas. The species is found in western North America.
Platypedia minor
Minor Cicada
Platypedia minor is a small cicada species in the genus Platypedia, a group known for producing sound through wing-snapping rather than abdominal tymbals. Like other Platypedia species, males lack the timbal organs typical of most cicadas and instead communicate via crepitation—snapping their wings against their bodies or substrate. The species occurs in western North America, where it inhabits montane and foothill environments.
Platypedia mohavensis
Platypedia mohavensis is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, first described by Davis in 1920. It is native to western North America, with records from Arizona. Like other members of the genus Platypedia, it belongs to a group of cicadas that have lost timbal organs and instead produce sound through wing crepitation. The species includes two recognized subspecies: P. m. mohavensis and P. m. rufescens.
Platypedia putnami
Putnam's Cicada, Putnam's Wing-banger
Platypedia putnami is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, commonly known as Putnam's Cicada or Putnam's Wing-banger. It occurs in mountainous regions of western North America, typically at elevations around 6,000 feet in evergreen forest understory. Unlike most cicadas, males lack abdominal tymbals and instead produce sound by snapping their wings against vegetation—a behavior termed crepitation. The species has four recognized subspecies distributed across its range.
Platypedia putnami keddiensis
Putnam's Cicada
Platypedia putnami keddiensis is a subspecies of Putnam's cicada, a small, slender, hairy black cicada with orange highlights and a distinctive orange pronotal collar. Unlike most cicadas, males lack timbal organs and instead produce sound through crepitation—snapping their wings together or against vegetation to create a subtle tick-ticking noise. This subspecies occurs in western North America at elevations around 6,000 feet, primarily in evergreen forest understory. Both sexes can produce sound through this wing-snapping mechanism, potentially enabling two-way acoustic communication.
Platypedia scotti
Platypedia scotti is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, described by Davis in 1935. Like other members of the genus Platypedia, males of this species lack tymbal organs and produce sound through crepitation—snapping their wings against vegetation—rather than the typical cicada singing mechanism. The species is known from California and belongs to a group of western North American cicadas often called "wing-bangers" or "wing-tappers."
Platypedia vanduzeei
Platypedia vanduzeei is a small cicada species in the family Cicadidae, native to western North America. It belongs to a group of "wing-banger" or "wing-tapper" cicadas that produce sound through crepitation—snapping their wings against vegetation—rather than using the abdominal tymbal organs typical of most cicadas. The species was described by Davis in 1920 and is known from California and Nevada.
Trimerotropis fratercula
pine bluffs grasshopper
Trimerotropis fratercula, the pine bluffs grasshopper, is a band-winged grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is closely related to the blue-winged grasshopper (T. cyaneipennis), from which it is distinguished primarily by its yellow or greenish-yellow hind wings rather than blue. The species occurs in North America, with records from Wyoming and other western states. It inhabits rugged, mountainous terrain and canyons at moderate to high elevations.