Gray Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens)

Description

Gray bird grasshoppers are 1.57 to 2.8 inches long. Their coloration is primarily brown and gray, with spots and patches giving them a cryptic appearance.

Other Common Names: Vagrant grasshopper

Distribution: Native – throughout the southern part of North America, including Mexico and part of the southern United States from California to Texas

Invasive – Colorado, Hawaii, Nebraska, parts of Central and South America

Habitat: Deserts, lowland mountainous areas, and woodlands

Do They Bite/Sting: No

Lifespan: 4 months

Predators: Birds

Behavior and Characteristics

Feeding

These grasshoppers feed on a variety of vegetation.

Flight

While these grasshoppers appear clumsy during flight, this is deceptive. They are strong fliers and can travel effortlessly over long distances. Gray bird grasshoppers can fly 300 miles at least over oceans.

Life Cycle

1. Egg Stage

They overwinter during this stage.

2. Nymph Stage

Nymphs hatch from spring to late summer and reach maturity in early autumn. Sometimes the immature grasshoppers will overwinter till the spring of next year.

Damage Caused by Them

While these grasshoppers do not swarm in large numbers, their population density can rise in favorable conditions. This leads to it becoming a menace to many crops and ornamental plants.

One of the notorious cases of an infestation occurred in Hawaii in 2004, when the island of Nihoa had 90% of its vegetation wiped out by the gray bird grasshopper.