Band-winged Grasshopper? - Cibolacris parviceps

Moved

… David J. Ferguson, 19 February, 2018 - 1:20am

Moved

… Eric R. Eaton, 11 September, 2007 - 6:03pm

Yes.

Yes, it is a bandwinged grasshopper. Can't tell what genus without consulting a reference. Any idea what color the hindwings were (yellow, red, blue)? That would help narrow it down.

… Eric R. Eaton, 10 July, 2006 - 4:09pm

Don't know what color

Don't know what color the hindwings were, but from now on I'll check -
all I had to do was make it fly. Thanks for the suggestion. I think I'd have noticed if they were red or blue though. Used to have ones with bright red when they flew, once upon a time when I lived on the Buenos Aires NWR. Is each color of hindwing a different genus?

… Bob Beatson, 10 July, 2006 - 4:19pm

Hindwing Color.

Hindwing color sometimes varies within a species! But, it is generally consistent enough to help a little with the ID. No substitue for having the specimen, of course. Surprised by the large size of this one, so that could help, too.

… Eric R. Eaton, 10 July, 2006 - 5:34pm

Cibolacris parviceps

This is Cibolacris parviceps (Walker) which is actually in Gomphocerinae. At one time I believe they were in the Oediponidae. The hindwing should be clear with a smoky outer edge. They are common in rocky creosote flats. I'll try to get a picture up of Cibolacris samalayucae which is only found in dunes around El Paso.

… Paul Lenhart, 2 July, 2007 - 5:01pm

Hi Paul:

I recently purchased a copy of "Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids..." by john L.Capinera et al 2004, but find no mention of Cibolacris parviceps in it?? Do you know a synoym that it might occur under in that work?

… Bob Beatson, 25 August, 2007 - 5:24pm

Cibolacris parviceps

Hi,
C. parviceps is definitely what it is. It's one of those "fake-out" species that looks like a band-wing but isn't really. It is not C. samalayuca (which may be a synonym anyway), as that is on sand dunes in the El Paso area. The species is very common as an adult in spring and early summer, and usually becomes less common as the summer progresses. It likes a variety of desert and dry grassland habitats (particularly gravelly ones) and is highly varied in coloration to match. It is one of the most common species in my yard. I might also add that it is not a large species, but only about half of the measurements given with the photo (perhaps a bit of confusion on which bug was which there?). There are many species missing from Capinera's book, and more comprehensive books (now out of print I think?) are Daniel Otte's 'The North American Grasshoppers'. Volume one and two were published in the early '80's and cover the Gomphocerinae, Acridinae, and the Oedipodinae. More volumes are supposed to be added I think.

… David J. Ferguson, 27 August, 2007 - 12:36pm

thanks David

… Bob Beatson, 27 August, 2007 - 5:47pm

Thanks

Paul. It was definitely in a flat, creosote habitat.

… Bob Beatson, 2 July, 2007 - 7:18pm