NOTE - This is a work in progress and I will be adding content to this page over time. Title is also open to change :)
Introduction
This article is intended to show the most useful images that will give the best possible chance of reaching a species-level ID on Orthopteran insects (grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids). It is inspired from
this oft-cited BG article on images important for identification. Note that acquiring the types of images described below will not always guarantee a species ID - some nymphs or females are just too similar-looking, or you need to hear a male sing, etc. Some life stages may not be adequately characterized yet - for example, many Orthopteran nymphs actually do have unique color patterns in life that may be used to identify them, but literature has mostly focused on adults. So until someone does the work of rearing up all the nymphs to see what they turn into, many nymph photos will have to remain at subfamily or genus level.
Recall also that date and locality are vitally important! Habitat information can also be helpful, as many Orthopterans are rather localized to specific environments. Host plant is usually not terribly significant for crickets and katydids, which tend to be generalist feeders (
exceptions of course exist!). Grasshoppers vary in their host plant specificity - some are
extreme generalists and others are
extreme specialists. So if you know the plant where your hopper was eating, it might be helpful to include that info as well.
Below the description for each group, there are a few example images of various species within that group to show the types of views that are most helpful. I have mostly utilized images that I have submitted, but there are many good examples found throughout the website. This is NOT intended as a field guide - there are a LOT more species than what is shown here!
GRASSHOPPERS
General: Grasshoppers are best ID'd from a lateral view. Dorsal views may also be important, but lateral is best if only one shot is possible. A few of the subfamilies require more precise images as detailed below.
In the field: Sometimes a good photo may be feasible through the sides of a plastic or glass container, but often these will be way too fuzzy. A good 'in-hand' photo works quite well for grasshoppers and many katydids. Don't grab Orthopterans by a hind leg - it'll fall right off and they will escape! Instead, hold them by the right fore and mid-legs. This ensures that they will not amputate legs, and it will give you a nice unobstructed lateral view. I make use of this method often in iNaturalist observations when I just want to quickly document a species at a particular site (
example). Note that I did not invent this technique - I learned it from observing the many photos of Orthopterists Dan Otte and JoVonn Hill.
Gomphocerinae (slant-faced grasshoppers)
Basically just a lateral and dorsal view is sufficient to identify most of the species in our fauna. Best keys to our fauna are in
(1)
Oedipodinae (band-winged grasshoppers)
As the name suggests, the color and pattern on the hind wings is vital to identify these insects. With a live grasshopper in hand, one wing is usually easily spread without harming the hopper (
example). Best keys to our fauna are in
(2)
Melanoplinae (spur-throated grasshoppers)
This is the most speciose group of grasshoppers in our region, and ID relies heavily on male genitalia. However for many species, a good view of the most diagnostic features is rather easy to see, provided you have an adult male. For nymphs and females, a lateral view will usually suffice to reach genus - and getting to species may be easy for some, but next to impossible for others. For an idea of how to photograph a male melanopline showing the cercus in the field, see
this example. Note that the shape of the cercus and subgenital plate can be clearly seen.
Cyrtacanthacridinae (bird grasshoppers)
As in the Melanoplines, good views of the male terminalia are essential, especially for species in the alutacea group.
Leptysminae (spur-throated toothpick grasshoppers)
Only two species in our area, and a lateral view will easily distinguish them.
Copiocerinae
One distinctive species in our area
Romaleidae (lubber grasshoppers)
Our species are all quite distinctive and easily recognized from a lateral view.
Eumastacidae (monkey grasshoppers)
Still not too familiar with these guys (not too speciose in our area), but a lateral view should work well.
Tanaoceridae (desert longhorned grasshoppers)
Two very distinctive species in our area.
Tetrigidae (pygmy grasshoppers)
These grasshoppers are very difficult to ID as color patterns can vary wildly within and between species. No two individuals seem to be alike. Details of the head are important, so a dorsal and lateral view of the head and front of pronotum can help a lot.
Tridactylidae (pygmy mole 'crickets')
Usually difficult to ID without terminalia views, and these are VERY tiny insects. Fortunately our species are *usually* identifiable by location and color pattern. A view of the hind tibia and tarsus is helpful to determine the genus. Within
Ellipes, it helps to have a photo showing the antenna well, such that the number of segments can be counted accurately.
CRICKETS
General: Crickets are best ID'd from a dorsal view. Lateral views may also be important, but dorsal is best if only one shot is possible. A few of the subfamilies require more precise images as detailed below. The songs of males are also vital and quite a few species cannot properly be ID'd without them - see
SINA for recordings of all species.
In the field: For groups such as Gryllinae and Nemobiinae that cannot climb plastic or glass, a good photo may be taken looking down into a container (
example). If in hand, be careful using the grasshopper method described above as crickets tend to be much more fragile and will break off any leg in attempting to escape.
Gryllinae (field crickets)
A dorsal and lateral view is sufficient to identify genus. Most of our genera only have one or two species, but this group contains the genus
Gryllus which is very speciose and best ID'd by song. Make sure you get a recording of a singing male! SINA keys to the genera are found
here.
Nemobiinae (ground crickets)
Dorsal and lateral views are usually good for genus-level ID (views of the hind tibia/tarsus and female ovipositor are helpful too). Species are best distinguished by song. SINA keys to genus are found
here.
Oecanthinae (tree crickets)
The key thing to look at for tree crickets are the basal antennal markings. These can be hard to see with the naked eye, but usually fairly easy to see if cricket is confined in a container and viewed with a hand lens (they cannot climb plastic or glass). Sometimes a phone camera may be enough to get a passable look at the antennal markings (
example). SINA keys to genera are
here and
Oecanthus antennal markings are
here (also be sure to visit Nancy Collin's well-illustrated website on these insects). Note that song is needed to distinguish some species pairs.
Hapithinae (bush crickets)
Usually easy enough to ID with a dorsal and lateral view, as well as song recordings (
SINA key to genera)
Trigonidiinae (trigs)
Easy to ID to genus, but song information is important for the genera with more than 1 species! SINA keys to genera are
here.
Pentacentrinae (anomalous crickets)
One distinctive and extremely rare species (please collect if you see one!)
Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets)
Foretibial armature is important for genus, but color pattern and proportions of wing length/pronotum is usually distinctive enough for our species. SINA keys to genera are found
here.
Mogoplistidae (scaly crickets)
Rather difficult to ID past genus.
SINA keys to genera
Myrmecophilidae (ant crickets)
One genus with just a few species usually distinguishable by range.
KATYDIDS AND RELATIVES
General: Katydids are best ID'd from a lateral view. Dorsal views may also be important, but lateral is best if only one shot is possible. A few of the subfamilies require more precise images as detailed below. The songs of males are also vital and quite a few species cannot properly be ID'd without them - see
SINA for recordings of all species.
In the field: Meadow katydids may be handled and photographed using the method for grasshoppers described above (
example). Other katydids should be handled more carefully or photographed through a container. Be careful of handling some of the larger shieldbacks and coneheads as they may inflict a painful bite!
Conocephalinae (meadow katydids)
The shape of the male cerci is nearly always distinctive and may be photographed in hand (
example). Female ovipositor shape may help somewhat in a few cases as well. Songs of males are also quite helpful. SINA keys to genera are found
here
Copiphorinae (coneheads)
A view of the underside of the cone is important for these. Female ovipositor is also helpful as is male song. SINA keys to genera are found
here.
Phaneropterinae (phaneropterinae katydids)
Dorsal and lateral views are usually good to distinguish genera. Species-level ID is often facilitated by views of the end of male or female abdomens. The genus
Amblycorypha contains 3 species groups that are usually distinguishable from lateral views, but within the species groups you'll need to hear a male sing. In the genus
Scudderia, all of our species have very distinctive male supra-anal plates that can be used to identify them (
SINA information on this genus). The SINA key to genera is found
here.
Pseudophyllinae (true katydids)
4 species in our area usually distinguishable by range alone. In the few areas where this is not the case, a good view of the pronotum will help ID. SINA key to genera is found
here.
Tettigoniinae (shieldbacks)
A very speciose group, particularly out west. Identification is usually greatly facillitated by views of the female ovipositor and subgenital plate, and male cerci/subgenital plate. Range information is also critical. The
SINA key to genera will only work for shieldbacks found east of the Great Plains. For shieldbacks found west of this range, try the key by Rentz & Birchim (1968) found
here
Meconematinae (quiet-calling katydids)
One easily recognized European species introduced here, and two recently introduced FL species.
Listroscelidinae (spiny predatory katydids)
2 very large species usually easily distinguishable by a lateral or dorsal view.
Anostostomatidae (wetas and king crickets)
Only a few species in our area and unlikely to be seen except by targeted search. Range information will usually distinguish them.
Gryllacrididae (raspy crickets)
One instantly recognizable species in our area.
Prophalangopsidae (grigs)
3 species in our area, often identifiable by range, but a shot showing the male subgenital plate is useful. SINA information on distinguishing these three is found
here.
Rhaphidophoridae (camel crickets)
A rather difficult group. The large genus
Ceuthophilus contains many undescribed taxa, and species are apparently best distinguished by everting male genitalia, which I suspect most folks are not going to do. Dorsal and lateral views are usually enough to determine genus. Views of the female ovipositor or end of a male's abdomen may help.
Stenopelmatidae (Jerusalem crickets)
Recent revisionary work by David Weissman and colleagues has shown that there are way more species in this group than previously thought, and that each one has a species-specific drumming call. Photos will probably not be sufficient to ID Jerusalem crickets, except for perhaps a few species with distinctive color patterns. Exact locality may be the most important key to identifying photos, as most of the species have limited distributions within different sand dune complexes and mountains of the arid West.
