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 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.
Schistocerca americana
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

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