Mixed-feeder
Guides
Melanoplus bivittatus
Two-striped grasshopper, Yellow-striped grasshopper
Melanoplus bivittatus, the two-striped grasshopper, is one of the largest and most economically significant grasshopper species in North America. It is a polyphagous mixed-feeder that prefers forbs over grasses but consumes both. The species is notable for its distinctive paired pale yellow stripes running along the dorsum from the eyes to the wing tips. It exhibits density-dependent morphological plasticity, with high-density populations developing longer wings and slimmer bodies more adapted to flight and migration.
Melanoplus bivittatus bivittatus
Two-striped grasshopper
The two-striped grasshopper is a large, robust species widely distributed across North America. It is a polyphagous mixed-feeder that consumes both grasses and forbs, with a documented preference for forbs when available. This subspecies has been historically recognized but is now generally treated as a synonym of the species Melanoplus bivittatus. It is considered one of the most economically important grasshopper pests in western North America, particularly in Colorado where it attacks cereals, alfalfa, garden vegetables, and ornamental plantings.
Melanoplus femurrubrum
Red-legged Grasshopper, Garden grasshopper
Melanoplus femurrubrum, the red-legged grasshopper, is a medium-sized, widely distributed grasshopper native to North America. It ranges across most of Canada, the United States, and into central Mexico, making it one of the most common and broadly distributed grasshopper species on the continent. The species exhibits developmental polymorphism, allowing populations to adapt to variable environmental conditions and seasonal timing. It is frequently used as a model organism in scientific research due to its abundance and behavioral sensitivity to climate variation.