Orthoptera of North Carolina
Scientific Name: Common Name:
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View Acrididae Members: NC Records

Schistocerca americana (Drury, 1770) - American Bird Locust

Schistocerca americanaSchistocerca americanaSchistocerca americanaSchistocerca americana
Taxonomy
Family: Acrididae Subfamily: Cyrtacanthacridinae Tribe: Cyrtacanthacridini
Comments: One of about 50 species of New World locusts, with only the Migratory Locust found in the Old World (Song, 2004). Six species are found in North Carolina.
Species Status: Belongs to the Americana Species Group and is the sole representative in North America (Song, 2004). The Desert Locust also belongs to this group.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Photographs: BugGuide, Google Images,  iNaturalist, GBIF                                                                                  
Comments: Unmistakable. A large yellowish- or reddish-brown locust with strongly mottled tegmina. The head is pale with vertical brown streaks and a blackish line bordered by white under the eye. A pale mid-dorsal streak runs from the top of the head and pronotum and extends along the dorsal field of the tegmina. The mid-dorsal streak on the pronotum is bordered with blackish-brown above, with streaks of brown, blacks and white on the sides. The abdomen is pale and the hind femur is brown on the upperand lower face but white with a black streak on the outer face. The tegmina are transparent, with white veins and prominent black patches. The hindwings are transparent.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 39-52 mm, males; 48-68 mm, females (Capinera et al., 2004)
Structural Features: Median carina of pronotum is low and the prozona is slightly constricted.
Nymphal Stages and Development: Nymphs are typically green with a black streak below the eye and a black mid-dorsal line running from the head to the tip of the abdomen (Kuitert and and Connin, 1952; Brust et al., accessed 2024-10).
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: Found in both fields and open woodlands. Often abundant in fallow fields or pastures that have become somethat brushy. This species also overwinters in open, sunny woods, becoming active on warm days.
Diet: Highly polyphagous and sometimes becoming a significant crop pest
Observation Methods: This species is easy to flush by walking through its habitat. When disturbed they often fly long distances or up into trees.
Abundance/Frequency:
Adult Phenology: Two broods per year with the brood hatching out in the late summer overwintering
See also Habitat Account for General Mixed Habitats
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 [S5]
State Protection:
Comments:

Image Gallery for Schistocerca americana - American Bird Locust

Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Richmond Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Richmond Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Columbus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Columbus Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Bladen Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Andrew W. Jones
Polk Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: David George, Stephen Dunn, Jeff Niznik
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Alicia Jackson
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Alicia Jackson
Bladen Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton
Carteret Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Pat Momich
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: Pat Momich
Madison Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Pat Momich
Madison Co.
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Recorded by: J. Mickey
Surry Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: John Petranka, Jim Petranka, Sally Gewalt, Becky Elkin
Dare Co.
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Recorded by: John Petranka
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: H. Quay
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Vin Stanton
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason
Wake Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Simpson Eason
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen and Pat McConnell
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips
Cumberland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Karyn Cook
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Salman Abdulali
Pitt Co.
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Recorded by: Salman Abdulali
Pitt Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields
Jones Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips
Bladen Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Mickey
Wilkes Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Yancey Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J.B. Sullivan
Jones Co.
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Recorded by: Aaron Edmonds
Harnett Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: J. Brown
Dare Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: L. Amos
Warren Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Hunter Phillips
Onslow Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall
Cumberland Co.
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Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman
Scotland Co.
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Recorded by: Jason Brown
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: J. Mickey
Alleghany Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell
Graham Co.
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Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Jane Wyche
Gates Co.
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Recorded by: Matt Windsor
Dare Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Scott Hartley
Moore Co.
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Recorded by: B. Anderson
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Stephen Hall
Orange Co.
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Recorded by: Scott Bolick
Forsyth Co.
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