Rocky Mountain Locust - Melanoplus spretus

Current news

The AP reports that some of the Plains States expect a significant outbreak this year. See here.

… Peter Edelman, 28 March, 2010 - 9:20pm

other species

Yes, other species of grasshoppers have episodic outbreaks of good size in the Great Plains. These will be species such as Melanoplus sanguinipes, the Migratory Grasshopper. However, the Rocky Mountain Locust, Melanoplus spretus formed swarms of almost inconceivable size (thousands of square miles, billions or trillions of insects). The swarms were of such immense size that they devastated farms over entire states. This species did attack anything remotely edible, such as clothes on the line, as mentioned in the story. This species last swarmed over 100 years ago, and is now believed to be extinct. Interestingly, the first line of the story alludes to these "mythic" swarms, and it is clear that the great swarms of the Rocky Mountain Locust have persisted in myth in the region.

… Cotinis, 28 March, 2010 - 10:29pm

Great to see this illustration

here where it can easily be seen.

In this vein, I think the following image, submitted to BugGuide, may have some significance. I have never seen a specimen of Melanoplus that looks like this one, except in a museum cabinet. And, all that I have seen (not many) were old specimens labeled as M. spretus. There are several features (i.e. shape of pronotum, and long tegmina) that are noticeably rather like M. spretus on this individual. Now, I'm NOT saying this is M. spretus; I'm simply saying that it might be. Occasionally, under crowded conditions, M. sanguinipes develops individuals that approach this appearance, and the only way to be certain what species this specimen is would be to examine it in person (and to be honest, I'm not sure if females can be so identified). Still, it is worth refrencing in relation to this species, if nothing else, because it looks like it. It is very very difficult to believe that M. spretus is really gone, but it is also not possible (assuming it lives on) to say for sure in what guise, nor where.

… David J. Ferguson, 5 January, 2009 - 12:49am