Birdwing Grasshopper ovipositing - Schistocerca rubiginosa

interesting

These gray Florida specimens certainly have a distinctive "look" about them, but I agree that S. rubiginosa is correct, and I just commented on two more like this one to bring them all under the same heading.

… David J. Ferguson, 25 March, 2008 - 4:09pm

Moved

Moved from Mischievous Bird Grasshopper.

… Tony DiTerlizzi, 25 September, 2006 - 8:06pm

It's Schistocerca Rubiginosa

I'm sure of it.

… BirdwingFan, 25 September, 2006 - 7:02pm

I'll move it...

...but, I don't know who you are (credential-wise) BirdwingFan:)

Your bio page doesn't say anything – are you an hopper-expert?

… Tony DiTerlizzi, 25 September, 2006 - 8:04pm

To answer your question, I am

To answer your question, I am not an expert though I have put a lot of time into studying this genus. I have run into a number of Rubiginosas recently, and one of its color variations resembles this one. Also the fact that it is on a beach and is larger than Damnifica makes me believe it is Rubiginosa.

… BirdwingFan, 26 September, 2006 - 6:43pm

These are tough!

This looks a bit different from the Mischevious Birdwings seen in North Carolina:

One of my references, Helfer (1) mentions another subspecies found from South Carolina to Florida: "more compressed and slender and usually thickly sprinkled with tiny dark specks and represents the subspecies calidior Rehn and Hebard." Perhaps that's what this is. Pronotal ridge is supposed to be distinctive in S. damnifica, I don't see it well in your photo, but it's not a high ridge, even at just the right angle. Also, the wings look a bit long--they are supposed to extend just past the abdomen in S. damnifica. Hard to say with the abdomen curved down a bit in yours--ovipositing? (Yours is a female, the ones from NC look to perhaps be the more compact males.) Tough, tough. Capinera (2) says that both S. alutacea and S. obscura sometimes lack the distinctive stripe. I don't know, I'm just trying to start learning some of this genus.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina

… Cotinis, 19 October, 2005 - 9:16am

Good points

Hey Patrick,

I can see what you mean, these are tough! (and I am certainly no expert!)

Let's see..."Grasshoppers of Florida" (1), p.120 mentions that: "The base color of of the hind tibiae of S. obscura is purplish or blackish rather than the brown of S. alutacea."

...which I don't see here, (nor do I see that prominent dorsal stripe) so we can probably eliminate that from the list leaving it between S. alutacea and S. damnifica. And I agree with you, the pronotal ridge does not seem that distinct in this particular shot. But I don't recall this individual being as large as Capinera indicates S. alutacea either...

Perhaps we can get advice from an expert?

… Tony DiTerlizzi, 19 October, 2005 - 9:56am

Comments on this one?

Looks to be the same as yours but definitely too big to be S. damnifica

… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 4 November, 2005 - 8:41pm