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Species Hypochlora alba - Mugwort Grasshopper

Sage Grasshopper - Hypochlora alba - female Lakin Grasshopper variant? - Hypochlora alba - female Lakin Grasshopper variant? - Hypochlora alba - female Hypochlora alba - female Mugwort Grasshopper, dorsal - Hypochlora alba - female Hypochlora alba - female Grasshopper - Hypochlora alba - female Hypochlora alba - male
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
Suborder Caelifera (Grasshoppers)
Family Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
Subfamily Melanoplinae (Spur-throated Grasshoppers)
No Taxon (Hesperotettix genus group)
Genus Hypochlora
Species alba (Mugwort Grasshopper)
Other Common Names
Cudweed Grasshopper
Cudweed Sage Grasshopper
Explanation of Names
Mugwort is the common name most used for herbaceous Artemisia. Cudweed is another plant entirely (Gnaphalium), and I'm not quite sure how this name got attached to this hopper. Sometimes our western "Mugwort" (A. ludoviciana) is called Cudweed Sagewort, so I suppose that's it? There's the name Wormwood too, but that's usually reserved for Artemisia species that this hopper doesn't seem to eat.
Size
about 2.5 cm (1 inch)
Identification
The white-striped pale gray-green color (occasionally tan or pale brown) of this grasshopper, along with the short wings and small size, make it unmistakable.
Range
Primarily the Great Plains and into Tall Grass Prairies from the base of the Rockies east as far as Iowa and from southern Canada to northern Texas and New Mexcio.
Habitat
Patches of gray-leaved herbaceous Artemisia in grasslands. Often most common in low places and along roadsides where its food plant tends to thrive best.
Season
adults summer into autumn.
Food
Primarily Artemisia ludiviciana, sometimes other related species.
Life Cycle
Overwinters as eggs.
Remarks
While very common, it is rarely noticed.