Species Leptysma marginicollis - Cattail Toothpick Grasshopper

At Words by William Whitaker, "collis" translates to "head and neck", while "margini" translates to "margin" or "border". This could be referring to the stripe on the head and thorax of this species.

This slender, elongate grasshopper has a very pointed head and flattened, sword-shaped antennae. Thus, it superficially resembles grasshoppers in the subfamily Gomphocerinae, but is easily distinguished by the presence of a spur, or spine, between the front legs.

They are usually brownish with a whitish, yellow, or brown stripe from the eye to the base of the front legs. The head is as long as, or longer than, the pronotum. On top, the body may also be reddish or pinkish. The front wings are sharply pointed, extending 3-5 mm beyond the tip of the abdomen (1) (2).

Inhabits wet areas, and is usually found on emergent vegetation such as cattails and sedges.(1)

Capinera, Grasshoppers of Florida, pp. 87-88, plate 71 (1)

Capinera, Field Guide to Grasshoppers..., pp. 114-115, plate 30 (2)

Arnett, American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico (3), p. 175

Try the "Grasshoppers of Florida" key/pdf file (4) for identification.

Giff Beaton has images of adults.

The Great Plains Nature Center lists L. marginicollis in its list "Insects of Kansas".