Mishchievous Bird Grasshopper - Schistocerca damnifica - BugGuide.Net

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Photo#41638

Copyright © 2005 Don Cadle

Mishchievous Bird Grasshopper - Schistocerca damnifica -

Laura S. Walker State Park, Ware County, Georgia, USA
November 24, 2005
Size: 30-35mm

I found this early morning under a piece of pine bark. The temperature was still cool, so it either trying to stay warm or was hibernating for the winter. Tom Murray's image reminded me of this one that I had taken. Is this also an Arphia species?

Contributed by Don Cadle on 26 January, 2006 - 7:07pm
Last updated 1 October, 2008 - 1:40am

My guess

is yes it's either the Southern Yellow-winged Grasshopper A. granulata or the Sulpher-winged Grasshopper A. sulphurea. Capinera's Field guide says they are very hard to tell apart.

Just to clarify, it doesn't match the coloring of either of the other images in the guide very well, but it does match the drawing in the Field Guide to Grasshoppers... The written description says it can be light brown to dark brown.

… Lynette Schimming, 27 January, 2006 - 5:30am

Wrong genus:-)

This is almost certainly Schistocerca damnifica. Look at the linear spotting in the eyes, the light stripe down the top of the thorax. I would also venture to say that even in Georgia, this is pretty late for Arphia. Arphia also have concolorous eyes, and no thoracic stripe, just an unbroken ridge or crest.

… Eric R. Eaton, 27 January, 2006 - 11:12am

ARGH!

I checked that, really. I guess I got hung up on the dorsal median ridge being raised more than I thought it should be for damnifica.

… Lynette Schimming, 27 January, 2006 - 2:04pm

Thanks

Good try Lynette. Thanks to you both for your help.

… Don Cadle, 27 January, 2006 - 5:39pm

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