differential grasshopper | The Prairie Ecologist

Who could be mad at these big beautiful brown eyes?

A differential grasshopper (that’s its name, not its demeanor) on stiff goldenrod.

As it turns out, lots of people can.

The differential grasshopper is one of a long list of native North American species, headlined by white-tailed deer and raccoons, that have adapted very well to today’s agricultural landscapes. Whether you call these species adaptable generalists or pests probably depends upon whether or not they’re eating your sweet corn. Regardless, you have to admire (or at least recognize) the traits that allowed them to thrive under changing habitat conditions that have pushed many other native species to the brink of extinction.

The olive-greenish color and the strong herringbone pattern on its back leg helps distinguish the differential grasshopper from other species.

The olive-greenish color and the strong herringbone pattern on its back leg helps distinguish the adult differential grasshopper from other species.

Peek-a-boo! Isn’t she cute?

Before Europeans took over the continent, differential grasshoppers lived mainly in low grasslands, feeding on a wide variety of grasses and wildflowers – but, purportedly, with a particular affinity for giant ragweed. When the landscape began changing to one dominated by rowcrops, alfalfa, and short-grazed grasslands, it basically created heaven on earth for differential grasshoppers. Today, they are abundant enough that they can be found almost anywhere across the landscape (at least in Nebraska). Apparently, they can move as much as 10 miles a day to find food.

One of 108 grasshopper species recognized as native to Nebraska, the differential grasshopper is one of only a small handful that actually cause any economic damage to crops. All of those grasshopper species – pests or not – are important food sources for birds and many other wildlife species. In years when differential grasshopper populations are particularly high, they can cause more problems for farmers and gardeners, but also provide even more food for wildlife.

“Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”

It’s ironic that many traits we admire in people (resilient, adaptable, successful) become indicators of pest-ness when we’re talking about wildlife. Really, we should give differential grasshoppers some kind of award for their ability to take lemons and make lemonade (that’s just a metaphor, kids). Hooray for differential grasshoppers!

Unless, of course, they’re eating your sweet corn.

I found this molting grasshopper nymph as I was walking through one of our restored prairies a couple summers ago. Grasshoppers go through “incomplete metamorphosis” as they mature, meaning that they hatch from an egg as nymphs that look much like they will as adults – only a lot smaller. As the nymphs grow, they have to periodically shed their old exoskeleton , which doesn’t grow with them.

Before shedding the old exoskeleton the grasshopper grows a new one underneath the old. Once the new skin is ready, the grasshopper takes in as much air as it can to swell its body size and contracts its muscles to split the old skin along the back. Then it squeezes itself out of its old skin and puffs itself up again to fill out its new exoskeleton. The next several hours are a dangerous time for the newly molted nymph, because its new shell hardens slowly – making it particularly vulnerable to predators.

Differential grasshopper nymph emerging from its old exoskeleton. Notice how much larger the emerged nymph is than its old exoskeleton. The Nature Conservancy's Platte River Prairies.

This particular grasshopper is a 5th instar (stage) nymph of a differential grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis) – a common grasshopper of grasslands, but better known as a major pest in cropfields. In prairies, the differential grasshopper feeds on both grasses and forbs.

When I noticed this one emerging, I didn’t have my “good” camera with me, so I had to mark the location and run back to the truck to grab my camera and tripod. A few minutes after I took the photo, the newly emerged nymph swung itself over to the stem of the switchgrass plant it was on (photo below) and sat there – I assume – until its new shell had hardened sufficiently that the grasshopper could go about the rest of its day.

Differential grasshopper nymph waiting for its new exoskeleton to harden. The Nature Conservancy's Platte River Prairies.

The Prairie Ecologist

Essays, photos, and discussion about prairie ecology, restoration, and management

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