Orthoptera of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

View	Acrididae Members:	NC Records
Schistocerca rubiginosa (Harris, 1862) - Rusty Bird Locust

Male

Taxonomy

Family: Acrididae	Subfamily: Cyrtacanthacridinae	Tribe: Cyrtacanthacridini	Synonym: Schistocerca alutacea rubiginosa
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 fairly large, usually unmarked, rusty-brown locust. A yellowish mid-dorsal stripe can be present but is usually missing. In S. alutacea or S. damnifica, it is always present.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 34-39 mm, males; 49-54 mm, females (Song, 2004)
Structural Features: The pronotum is cylindrical, not narrowing towards the head as is true for alutacea. A mid-dorsal carina is present on the pronotum but is not distinctly raised as is characteric of damnifica. The male cerci are small and quadrate, with a slightly bilobed distal tip (Song, 2004). The pical lobes of the subgenital plate are not outwardly flared; the notch is U-shaped.

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: This species prefers xeric to xeric-mesic habitats, particulary sandy areas (Song, 2004).

Diet:

Observation Methods:

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology:

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G3G5 [S3S4]

State Protection:

Comments:

Image Gallery for Schistocerca rubiginosa - Rusty Bird Locust
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman; B. fleming Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Hall, Bo Sullivan, Todd Pusser Scotland Co. Comment: The pronotum is cylindrical, not narrowing towards the head
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall, Bo Sullivan, Todd Pusser Scotland Co. Comment: Observed on Turkey Oak	Recorded by: Stephen Hall, Bo Sullivan, Todd Pusser Scotland Co. Comment: Male; note the only slightly indented posterior margin of the cercus, which contrasts with the more bifurcate condition in alutacea
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: J. Brown Dare Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Hall, Bo Sullivan, and Arno Schadt New Hanover Co. Comment: Male; note the only slightly indented posterior margin of the cercus, which contrasts with the more bifurcate condition in alutacea
	Recorded by: E. Corey, J. Vann New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: ASH Moore Co. Comment:

Image Gallery for Schistocerca rubiginosa - Rusty Bird Locust