Orthoptera of North Carolina
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View Acrididae Members: NC Records

Mermiria intertexta Scudder, 1899 - Intertexta Mermiria

Mermiria intertextaMermiria intertexta
Taxonomy
Family: Acrididae Subfamily: Gomphocerinae Tribe: Mermiriini
Comments: One of four species in this genus, all of which occur in North America north of Mexico (Cigliano et al., 2018); three species have been recorded in North Carolina
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Capinera et al. (2004)Online Photographs: BugGuide, Google Images,  iNaturalist, GBIFTechnical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Otte (1981)                                                                                  
Comments: A large, yellow-green and brown striped, Slant-faced Grasshopper. The dorsal surface of the head and pronotum have a strong dark band, continued as a fuscous streak along the middle of the dorsal field of the tegmina; the post-ocular stripe is also dark brown to black. The lower side of the head and pronotum are pale green and there is a whitish streak at the base of the hindwing (Otte, 1981). The hind femur and tibia are reddish and unmarked. Mermiria picta is similar in coloration but lacks the white streak below the hindwing and the post-ocular stripe is reddish. Mermiria bivittata lacks the broad, dark stripe on the head and pronotum (although a narrow stripe may sometimes be present), and has a pale median streak along the dorsal field of the tegmina.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 32-38 mm (to end of tegmina), males; 33-58 mm, females (Otte, 1981)
Structural Features: Antennae are ensiform and the hind legs are held at an oblique angle from the body.
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Associated with tall grasses in marshy or boggy habitats; also found in maritime scrub (Rehn, cited by Otte, 1981). Most of our records come from freshwater marshes in the Cape Fear River estuary, but at least some historic records come from salt or brackish marshes on the sound-side of barrier islands.
Diet: Probably feeds primarily on graminoids
Observation Methods: Probably best found by flushing it by walking through its habitat
Abundance/Frequency: Observed regularly at some sites, usually in fairly small numbers
Adult Phenology: Adults are present from late summer into the fall
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: W3
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G4? S3S4
State Protection: Has no legal protection, although permits are required to collect it on state parks and other public lands
Comments: Restricted to coastal marshes and scrub on barrier islands. Vulnerable to some extent due to coastal development and possibly to the effects of sea level rise and saltwater intrusion. More information s needed to determine how much they use saltwater as opposed to freshwater marshes.

Image Gallery for Mermiria intertexta - Intertexta Mermiria

Recorded by: L. Eckart
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B.Fleming
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields and Hunter Phillips
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: E. Corey, J. Vann
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: E. Corey
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: E. Corey
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Matt Windsor
Dare Co.
Comment: JORI - in salt marsh on spartina patens