Orthoptera of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

View	Acrididae Members:	NC Records
Schistocerca obscura (Fabricius, 1798) - Obscure Bird Locust

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 Song's (2004) Alutacea Species Group, which consists of six closely related species. In North Carolina, these include S. alutacea, S. rubiginosa, S. obscura, and S. lineata.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:	Online Photographs: BugGuide, Google Images, iNaturalist, GBIF	Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Song (2004)
Comments: A large species, similar in size to the American Locust. The body of this species is olive green to liver colored (Song, 2004) with the tegmina uniformly purplish liver color except for the extending dorsal longitudinal stripe. T. The head is yellowish to liver color with dark-brown to black subocular stripes. A pair of dark brown stripes runs between eyes from upper half of frontal ridge to occiput. The antennae are yellow to orange and the mid-dorsal stripe is bright yellow dorsal, often extending from the head to the tegmina. The upper half of epimeron is often distinctly yellow and the dorsal surface of the hind femur is often marked with two dark bands; the hind tibiae are purplish-brown or black.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 38-46 mm, males; 52-70 mm, females (Song, 2004)
Structural Features: The integument highly setose in this species but only moderately or slightly so in our other species (Song, 2004). The apical lobes of male subgenital plate slightly or much flared outwardly but not flared in our other species.

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: Habitat includes both fields and open woodlands (Song, 2004).

Diet: Song (2004) lists woody species as preferred host plants; hackberry is preferred in some areas.

Observation Methods:

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology:

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 [S4S5]

State Protection:

Comments:

Image Gallery for Schistocerca obscura - Obscure Bird Locust
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George, Randy Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Caleb Garner Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Caleb Garner Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Caleb Garner Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Craven Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: C. Teague Beaufort Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams Bertie Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Currituck Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Salman Abdulali Pitt Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Duplin Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields and Hunter Phillips Tyrrell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J. Brown Dare Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: E. Corey, J. Vann New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: E. Corey, J. Vann New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams Gates Co. Comment:	Recorded by: John Fullwood Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: H. Smith, J. Barnes Dare Co. Comment:	Recorded by: H. Smith, J. Barnes Dare Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: E. Corey New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Paul Hart Harnett Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Newman,Randy Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Hall Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Scott Bolick Pender Co. Comment:

Schistocerca obscura (Fabricius, 1798) - Obscure Bird Locust

Image Gallery for Schistocerca obscura - Obscure Bird Locust