Western-wheatgrass
Guides
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.
Xanthippus corallipes pantherinus
Red shanks
Xanthippus corallipes pantherinus is a subspecies of band-winged grasshopper found in the Great Plains of southern Colorado. Adults are medium to large in size with distinctive red inner faces of the hind femora, giving rise to the common name "red shanks." The subspecies is common and can be destructive to grassland vegetation, particularly western wheatgrass. It produces loud flight and deposits eggs in calcareous soils on hilltops and ridges.