Orthoptera of North Carolina

Welcome to the "Orthoptera of North Carolina" website!

Family (Alpha):

Booneacris variegata by Owen McConnell
Variegated Wingless Locust

Melanoplus femurrubrum by Stephen Hall
Red-legged Grasshopper

Spharagemon cristatum by Stephen Hall
Ridgeback Sand Locust

Schistocerca rubiginosa by Stephen Hall
Rusty Bird Locust

Aims of this website

Our intention with this website is to take a closer look at what we know about grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. We have two main aims in this regard:

• Provide information to people who are interested in learning more about Orthoptera. This website aims to provide a compendium of all of the Orthoptera species recorded in North Carolina, with pictures of each species, information on species identification, general information about their distribution in the state (by county), their relative abundance in the state, their seasonal occurrence in the state, their habitats, and their food preferences, as well as additional comments on the species (such as notable facts, taxonomic issues, or population trends). County maps of occurrence are provided for each species.

• Build a base of public support for the conservation of Orthoptera and their habitats in North Carolina. We want to make clear the situation that faces Orthoptera and other species in terms of their continued survival in our state and share this information to help guide conservation decisions made by individual land-owners, conservation organizations, governmental agencies, and particularly by the public. To accomplish these goals, especially where they involve Orthoptera or other species not usually given much public attention, we need to make our case from the best evidence we can muster, placing the plight of Orthoptera well within the context of the larger world of which both we and they are an important part.

How to navigate the website

To see a species account, start typing the scientific name in the Search Scientific Name field or, if a common name exists, the common name is the Search Common Name field. Names of species appear on the screen; click on the correct species that you want, so that the full name appears in the field box; then click Find (to the right). Once you are at a species account, you can navigate to the previous species in the checklist sequence by clicking on the Eotettix on the left, or to the next species in the checklist order by clicking on the Eotettix on the right. You can also get to additional species by entering text in either of the Search Common or Search Scientific boxes; click on the full species name; then click on the blue Find tab. A third way to get to another species (within the same Family) is to click the down arrow under the scientific name, where the box shows other members in the Family; click on the species of interest.

How to Identify a grasshopper, cricket, or katydid

While we will eventually have identification tips included in the Species Accounts for all species that occur in the state, there are a number of other identification guides that already exist and are specifically tailored for identifying an unknown Orthopteran. Information on these resources is included in the Identification Guides tab on the main menu bar located at the top of the Home Page.

How to become a Citizen Scientist

One of our main aims is to involve the public in documenting the distribution and habitat associations of the state’s Orthoptera fauna. We therefore welcome records from anyone wishes to submit for species observed in North Carolina. Information on how to submit records and the details we need to vet the records are included in the Citizen Science tab on the main menu bar located at the top of the Home Page. Note that a new menu item has been added as of March 21, 2018, that opens the entry form. Let us know if you encounter any problems.

Stats

Number of species with records: 256

Number of records: 5,236

Citation: Hall, S., Corey, E., and T. Howard. 2024. Orthoptera of North Carolina [Internet]. Raleigh (NC): North Carolina Biodiversity Project and North Carolina State Parks. Available from https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/orth/index.php.

Submitting a Record

Before submitting a record, read Terms of Use/Privacy Statement. Our intention is to make the information gathered in the website as widely available as we can make it. We therefore follow the guidelines established for Fair Use of published materials, although we also make provisions for anyone who would like to have stronger copyright recognition for the photographs they submit.

To send us a record, click on Submit a Public Record on the menu located on the left side of the Home Page. Only records of reliably identified species serve the interests of this project to document the distribution, natural history, and conservation status of the Orthoptera of North Carolina. To make the record most useful for these purposes, we therefore require that certain information be filled in, as indicated in red text on the form.

Species Name

The submitter needs to take the initial step in trying to identify the species the record represents. This helps the submitter learn more about the identification process (and its problems). It also helps us process the records more quickly. For help in establishing this preliminary identification, click on the Identification Guide located on the menu at the top of the Home Page. Although this initial identification does not have to be completely accurate – we will vet the photograph or other evidence as part of the acceptance process – the more precise it is, the faster we can process the submission. Conversely, records that require more time and effort on the part of our reviewers are likely to be delayed in acceptance, sometimes (we regret to say) indefinitely.

Identity of the Observer

The name of the person must be included and an email address where the submitter can be reached; we do not accept any records from anonymous or otherwise unverifiable sources. Only the observer’s name will show up in the species accounts, not the email address, which will be used only to notify the submitter concerning the status of their record (see Vetting Process below); it will not be shared with anyone outside of the website group without permission from the submitter.

Date and Location of the Record

For the record to be useful to us, we require information on the date and location of the observation. The date for records of adults will be used to compile the flight charts, with one record per site per location per night used for that purpose. Locations for all records – adults or immatures – will be used to fill in the distribution maps displayed for the species. Although only the counties will show up in the public display on the website, we need more accurate locational information to help identify sites of particular conservation interest as well as to help identity the habitat and landscape context where the record was made. The exact location of the observation can – preferably – be entered through use of the mapping tool included on the form or through direct entry of coordinates (in decimal degrees) obtained from a GPS unit. We would also like the name of the site to be included, if identifiable (e.g., a town or nature preserve), along with any descriptive subunit (e.g., neighborhood name, street address or location along a road, or topographic location – e.g., floodplain or ridgetop)..

Number of Individuals; Methods of Observation; Life Stages

The abundance of a species is usually one of the main factors in determining its conservation status – the less abundant the species, the higher its presumed risk and hence the higher its priority for protection. However, the number of Orthoptera seen at a particular time and place varies widely, depending on weather conditions, phase of the moon, timing of the life cycle of the particular species, and the methods used for the observations. We are particularly interested in the effects due to the type of observation method, e.g., bait vs. lights, blacklights vs. mercury-vapor lights, searching for larvae vs. adults. While not required – we will enter a single individual as a default if no estimates of numbers are recorded – either exact counts of the individuals seen at a given time or estimates (for observations above 5 individuals) can help us determine the detectability of a given species using a particular method. This is information that we summarize in the Species Accounts under Methods of Observation. Along with the flight charts, distribution maps, and habitat information, we hope this will be useful in planning how to look for particular species.

Where several methods were used, or where both immatures and adults were recorded at the same time and place, enter records separately for each category, each with an estimate of the number of individuals observed.

Habitat

Gathering information on the habitats used by moth species is one of the most important goals of this project. We use this information to help determine the ecological and conservation needs of the species. We also regard as one of our main missions to acquaint the public about the diversity of habitats we have in North Carolina and how each one plays a role in sustaining our native biodiversity.

The habitats listed on the entry form are simplified, our hope being that most people will be able to identify them; a description of each habitat type can be seen by clicking on the name of the habitat. We also invite the submitters to provide additional information about the habitats, including the presence of host plants used by the moth species, in the Comments section. For experienced observers, we recommend using the more detailed vegetation categories described in the Natural Communities of North Carolina (Schafale and Weakley, 1990; Schafale, 2012).

More than one habitat type can be selected. Since Orthoptera observed at lights or bait are often drawn in from distance of 100 yards or more, we ask that all habitat types within that radius be recorded.

Comments

The Comments section is optional but can be used to record information about habitat, host plants used by larvae, predator-prey interactions, or other behavioral or ecological features of interest.

Adding the Photograph

Photographs (including copies of sound spectrographs) provide the basis for documenting a record and must be included as part of all submissions (records from specimens obtained from surveys conducted by expert Orthopterists are recorded through a separate process). As noted in the Species Accounts, however, some species cannot be identified based on photographs alone; records entered for species flagged as requiring specimens as the basis for a record (see Adult ID in the Identification panel) will not be accepted. Where a specimen of such species has, in fact, been collected, contact the Orthoptera Website Group at Orthoptera_of_NC_Website@outlook.com for further information.

Attach your photograph by browsing to the file where it is stored on your computer, opening the file by clicking the name or image, and then clicking on the Open button shown at the bottom of the form window. Usually only one photograph should be entered per species per site per date, but up to three shots can be entered, showing a given individual from different angles or several individuals displaying a range of variation in pattern or other features.

Completion of the Form

Following the Security Check and acceptance of the Terms of Use at the bottom of the form, clicking the Submit button will enter the completed record.

Vetting Process

Once a record has been submitted, the proposed identification is reviewed by our team of experts to confirm its accuracy. This vetting is based partly on the long experience of our group members with moth identification but also on the availability of reliable keys and other diagnostic information in the scientific literature. For Orthoptera, such information is available for nearly all taxonomic groups and species (although subject to change depending on the discovery of new information); the references we use for this purpose are cited in the Species Accounts.

Even where modern keys or other good taxonomic information exist, not all species have diagnostic traits that are visible in photographs; many need to be collected in order to identify them to species, making use of features that can only be seen under a microscope or that require dissection in order to be revealed. The information needed for vetting a given species will normally be included in the Identification Comments field in the Species Accounts. However, we are still in the process of compiling this information and it will take us some while to complete the process for all species occurring in the state. In the meantime, we have made an effort to categorize the evidence required for vetting. For adult Orthoptera, we use the following levels listed for Adult ID Requirements in the Species Accounts:

1. Sight records are allowed. Species in this category are all widespread and widely recognized by the public, e.g., Luna Moths. In most cases, however, a short description – e.g., “large, green moth with long tails on the hindwings” – should be included in the Comments field on the entry form.

2. Photographs are required for identification, but must be of good enough quality and taken of specimens in good condition in order to be accepted. For this category, photos of a species in its normal resting position provide sufficient information for vetting.

3. Photographs showing particular views are required – e.g., side views of the head, showing the palps – or additional information must be supplied, such as body length or habitat information. This category also includes species where one sex or morphological variant may be determined using photographs but others cannot. Normally, these information requirements will be explained in the Identification Comments field.

4. Specimens are required for identification. This category includes species whose diagnostic traits can only be seen under high magnification or that require dissection or that can only be determined through DNA analysis.

Currently, we are filling in the Adult ID Requirements for all Orthoptera confirmed as occurring in the state. Where no designations are specified, we are handling entries on a case-by-case basis

Records that have been vetted to the species level will be added to the Species Accounts. In the case of photos submitted for vetting level 4 species – requiring a specimen – we may place them in Genus Accounts, provided they can be determined to the genus level; the same is true for species in level 3, if insufficient information is provided to determine the individual species. In all cases where a record has been entered into the website, it will be listed under New Records as well as the Species or Genus Accounts, but no other notification will be sent to the submitter. Where the record is not accepted or where additional information is required, a message may be sent to the submitter via email.

Currently, we are able to process the records within a two week period (usually less).

How to Identify an Orthopteran

This website depends on accurately identified species records, but we are primarily interested in figuring out distributions, habitat associations, and conservation status based on those records. There are several other sources that are devoted more to identification and we recommend that they be consulted first in order to come up with at least an initial identification (a preliminary species name is, in fact, required to submit a record). Once an initial identification is made, however, you may then want to consult the Species Accounts in our website for additional information on the field marks and other information that we ourselves use as standards for diagnosing a particular species.

FIELD GUIDES

Field Guide to the Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States, by Capinera et al., 2004, is currently the most available field guide for the Orthoptera. However, it covers the fauna of the entire country and focuses primarily on the species most likely to be seen in any one area; the rarer species are generally excluded, including a large number of species that occur in North Carolina.

Like birds, crickets and katydids can be identified by their songs; in some cases, the songs are more reliable than visual characteristics. Two field guides that provide information on songs as well as other features are:

The Songs of Insects by Elliott and Hershberger, 2006, covers many of our species of crickets and katydids, providing information on identifying features, distribution, and natural history, as well as a description of the songs of these insects; a CD is also included that includes examples of the songs of each species covered in the book.

Guide to the Night-Singing Insects of the Northeast, by Himmelman, 2009, provides detailed information on the species found in the Northeast, many of which also occur in our area. Like The Songs of Insects, a CD is included that provides examples of the songs of the species covered in the book.

WEBSITES

BugGuide
(http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740) is a key resource for identifying all terrestrial arthropods. BugGuide provides a lot information for each species (not all of which is yet filled in for any given species). It also has a scanning function (Browse) that allows fairly rapid comparison between the specimen to be identified and potentially matching species. In BugGuide’s version, browsing for matches can be done hierarchically, starting at any taxonomic level between Superfamily and Genus, and then successively narrowing the choices. For example, if you know that your orthopteran belongs to the Cricket family – Gryllidae – you can start at that level and narrow it down first to subfamily, then to tribe, then to genus, and finally to a particular species. This approach is not only useful for someone who knows little, if anything, about orthopteran taxonomy, but also provides an efficient way of searching for someone with more experience, who can start the process much lower down in the hierarchy (the authors of this website make frequent use of this service).

Where no apparent match can be made through this process, BugGuide also offers to identify photos of unknown species (see http://bugguide.net/node/view/6/bgimage?from=24). This is a free service and is done via collaboration with BugGuide’s existing members (joining BugGuide is also free).

Singing Insects of North America (SINA)
(http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/Walker/buzz/) lists all species of crickets and katydids that occur in North America and provides range maps, photographs, audio samples and sonograms for each species. In some cases, diagnostic information is given or references where that information can be found.

Songs of Insects. A Guide to the Voices of Crickets, Katydids & Cicadas
(http://songsofinsects.com/identification-basics) A companion website and extension of the Songs of Insects by Elliott and Hershberger. Provides a glossary of terms for describing insects songs and gives an introduction to interpreting sound spectrograms. Information is also provided on the biology of insect sounds, on how to find singing insects and how to keep them in captivity. A thumbnail guide is included that includes photos and sound files for a larger number of crickets, katydids, a few grasshoppers, and cicadas

Macaulay Library (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
(http://macaulaylibrary.org/browse/taxa/orthoptera) includes an extensive collection of Orthopteran songs and calls together with sonograms. Searchable using scientific names only.

Orthoptera Species File Online
(http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/HomePage/Orthoptera/HomePage.aspx) lists all species of Orthopterans that occur in North America, as well as the rest of the world. Photographs of specimens are given in a few cases, along with a few records of sites. More thorough are lists of references that describe or provide other information on a given species (or higher taxon); online links are supplied in many cases.

TECHNICAL LITERATURE

How to Know the Grasshoppers, Crickets, Cockroaches and Their Allies, by Helfer, 1987, covers the same range and many of the same species as in Capineira et al.'s field guide but uses keys based more on morphologcal characters than coloration and markings. This book is now out of print but can still be obtained from third party sellers.

Orthoptera of Northeastern America with Special Reference to the Faunas of Indiana and Florida, by Blatchely, 1920, includes most of the species in our area, the majority of which were described prior to its publication; in many cases, this work still provides the most detailed keys available for the Othoptera. Although this volume is long out of print, it is available online through the Biodiversity Heritage Library (see http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/16768#page/7/mode/1up)

SPECIMEN-BASED IDENTIFICATION

A large number of Orthopteran species cannot be reliably identified using photographs alone: many of the key diagnostic features, as described in the technical literature mentioned above, can only be seen in collected specimens and usually require magnification and often dissection to get a clear view. If you are fortunate enough to live near a large reference collection, such as the Insect Museum at NC State University, direct comparison of a specimen to those identified in the collection offers one of the most traditional means of determining an unknown species. Specimens can also be taken to county extension service for identification or shipped to the NC State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic (especially good for identifying herbivorous insects and their hostplants; see http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/plantpath/extension/clinic/).

Individual members of the North Carolina Biodiversity Project may also be willing to identify collected specimens, but usually only where a specimen would be particularly interesting taxonomically or where its occurrence would be new for either the state as a whole or for a particular region or habitat type (see Contacts for more information).

GENETIC ANALYSIS

DNA analysis has resulted in a revolution in taxonomic studies, revealing new relationships between species and in many cases leading to the discovery of new species that had not been previously identified based on morphology alone. Although these techniques are not yet generally available to anyone wishing to identify a particular unknown specimen, they are becoming more routinely used by taxonomists.

One approach now in wide use is Genetic Barcoding. This is a DNA sequencing technique that has become exceedingly popular over the past 10 years and has now been used to examine the taxonomic status of many groups of species, including a number of Orthopterans (see http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/). This method reads the sequence of nucleotides in a single mitochondrial gene (CO1) analogously to the way a barcode reader identifies a product label in a grocery store: each species has a unique sequence (with some minor variation among individuals and populations) that serves as a unique identifier, allowing comparisons to be made between an unknown specimen and previously sequenced species.

The CO1 gene (which codes for a portion of Cytochrome Oxidase, an enzyme used in energy production in the mitochondria) is present in all eucaryotes (animals, plants, fungi, and protista). Differences in the sequences between species reflects the accumulation of mutations that do not affect the function of the gene (i.e., are neutral in their effects). Such mutations are believed to occur randomly but to accumulate at a fairly fixed rate (similar to the radioactive decay of atoms). This provides a “molecular clock” for gauging how long two particular populations – once originally part of the same gene pool -- have been genetically isolated from one another: the longer the period of isolation, the greater the degree of their differences in their sequences for the CO1 gene.

Research has shown that a 2% difference in CO1 sequences is usually sufficient to identify two populations as distinct species, where individuals are no longer capable of interbreeding. This is true even where there may be little or no obvious differences in outward appearance (at least to a human observer). While that does not mean that species cannot become reproductively isolated over shorter intervals. For example, the black-winged Catocalas (a moth genus) appear to be “good” species, showing at least some degree of reproductive isolation, even though they do not show a 2% difference in their CO1 sequences. Where a 2% difference is found, however, that usually indicates that a more careful search be made for differences in morphological, behavioral or ecological characters, revealing characters that allow for a conclusive recognition of new species