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Scott Schell

Room #9, Agriculture Bldg.

Phone: (307) 766-2508

Email: insectid@uwyo.edu

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Grasshoppers of Wyoming and the West

Entomology

Key to Stages of Grasshopper Development

The nymphal instars of grasshoppers are difficult to differentiate; first and second instars are especially easy to confuse. Also, extra instars or reduced numbers of instars are sometimes encountered. In some species, males apparently have one fewer instar than females. Extra instars generally occur between the third and fourth instars. The following generalized key will help distinguish the instars in most cases. Both macropterous (long-winged, capable of flight) and brachypterous (short-winged, flightless) species can be differentiated, using principally wing pad development, although brachypterous species are more difficult. The most useful keys to identification of grasshopper nymphs are provided by Handford (1946), Brusven (1972) and Scoggan and Brusven (1972).

A Tegmina overlying the folded wings; tegmina and wings fully developed, often extending to the tip of the abdomen or beyond.

ADULT (Key to Subfamilies of Acrididae)

A' Wings overlying tegmina, or wings and tegmina poorly developed and represented by pads.

(Go to B)


B Tegmina and wing pads pointed down (ventrally).
 
Tegmina and wing pads pointed down (ventrally). Tegmina and wing pads pointed down (ventrally).
Like These

B' Tegmina and wing pads pointed up (dorsally).
 
Tegmina and wing pads pointed up (dorsally). Tegmina and wing pads pointed up (dorsally).
Like These

Grasshoppers of Colorado Contents

Contact Us

Scott Schell

Room #9, Agriculture Bldg.

Phone: (307) 766-2508

Email: insectid@uwyo.edu

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