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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids (Orthoptera) » Grasshoppers (Caelifera) » Lubber Grasshoppers (Romaleidae) » Brachystola » Plains Lubber Grasshopper (Brachystola magna)

Species Brachystola magna - Plains Lubber Grasshopper

Classification · Other Common Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References
Colorful Grasshopper - Brachystola magna - male Large Grasshopper nymphs - Brachystola magna - female Large Wingless Grasshopper - Brachystola magna - female Large Wingless Grasshopper - Brachystola magna - female Brachystola magna - Plains Lubber Grasshopper - Brachystola magna - female Plains Lubber with Mites?? - Brachystola magna - female Plains Lubber - Brachystola magna - female Plains Lubber - Brachystola magna - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
Suborder Caelifera (Grasshoppers)
Family Romaleidae (Lubber Grasshoppers)
Genus Brachystola
Species magna (Plains Lubber Grasshopper)
Other Common Names
Homesteader, Western Lubber Grasshopper
Size
Body: 43-55 mm
Identification
Large, colorful grasshopper. See photos and Internet references. Flightless.
Range
Western great plains of North America, south into Mexico.
Habitat
Shortgrass and other prairies, semi-deserts
Season
Early summer into fall (November), depending on latitude.
Food
Eats many types of forbs, grasses. Especially fond of sunflowers, Helianthus.
Life Cycle
Two-year life cycle, with eggs requiring two overwintering periods before hatching.
Remarks
Species name sometimes written magnus instead of magna.

Important in the history of genetics, this species has large chromosomes, easily observed in the early days of cell biology.
Internet References
Insects of Cedar Creek
Field Guide to Common Western Grasshoppers--Univ. Wyoming
Forestry Images
Orthoptera of the Northern Great Plains
TAMU
Contributed by Cotinis on 25 November, 2004 - 5:32pm

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