Orthoptera of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):

View	Acrididae Members:	NC Records
Melanoplus bivittatus (Say, 1825) - Two-striped Grasshopper

Male

Nymph

Taxonomy

Family: Acrididae	Subfamily: Melanoplinae	Tribe: Melanoplini
Comments: Melanoplus is our largest genus of Orthopterans, with over 350 species occurring in North America (Cigliano et al., 2017). 38 species have been recorded in North Carolina.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Capineira et al. (2004)	Online Photographs: BugGuide, Google Images, iNaturalist, GBIF
Comments: A large, long-winged, grayish- or reddish-brown Melanoplus. Distinctively marked with two pale lines on the dorsual surface, each running from the inner side of the eye, across the pronotum and along the sides of the dorsal field of the tegmina. The hind femur is yellowish-tan and has a black line along its outer face, sometimes enclosing small pale spots or streaks; the dorsal face has three black spots. The hind tibiae is coral red with black spines but can also be bluish-green.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 23-25 mm, males; 29-45 mm, females (Capineira et al., 2004)
Structural Features: The cerci of the males are broad and expanded at the apex, with a small ventral lobe.
Nymphal Stages and Development: Nymphs are often green with the hind femur having a dark streak on its outer face. The characteristic pair of dorsal stripes are marked with black.

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: Prefers open fields of successional forbs and grasses, both wet and fairly dry

Diet: Prefers forbs but also feeds on grasses (Capineira et al., 2004)

Observation Methods:

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology: Our records come mainly late spring and summer

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5 [S5]

State Protection:

Comments:

Image Gallery for Melanoplus bivittatus - Two-striped Grasshopper
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Stephen Hall Orange Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell Graham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger Rockingham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Stephen Hall Montgomery Co. Comment:

Image Gallery for Melanoplus bivittatus - Two-striped Grasshopper