As for telling it is a nymph. When the wings are short pads, a grasshopper is probably a nymph. However, there are some short-winged species (none of our Bird Grasshoppers have short wings when mature though). Species with short-winged adults, do not have the hind wing lying flat over the front wing (as in this nymph), rather it is the other way with front wings (=tegmina) hiding the pleated folded up hind wings. In this photo you can see the triangular "wing pad" with distinct radiating fan-like veins typical of a developing hind wing. If you catch the hopper nymph and look more closely, you will find the slender front wings hiding under the hind wings. When the hopper matures, the wings will be long, and the hind wings will still look like that fan, only larger, but they will be held folded up under the long slender front wings. In short-winged species, the same thing happens in adults, the wings are just much smaller (or, just to confuse things a bit, the hind wings may be missing entirely).

There are some grasshoppers that are lacking wings altogether, and those a bit more difficult to tell, but generally adults have harder bodies than the soft nymphs. There aren't many wingless kinds in Texas, but there are a few.

Also, I should mention that in very young nymphs, the wing pads can be very tiny, and they point down as little flaps above the hind legs instead of folding up/back and over each other. They flip up and back when the insects are nearing half grown (usually at the second molt = the third instar).

I hope that all made sense. There are LOTS of photos of nymphs here on BugGuide, and paging through them will help to see the differences.

Moved from Bird Grasshoppers.

How would you tell if it is a nymph ?

Do you have any other views?

Moved from ID Request.