Common name - Platt range grasshopper (Heifer, 1972).
Geographic distribution - in Colorado it is found primarily in the southwestern foothills and eastern plains (Gillette, 1904; Hebard, 1929).
Habitat - tall sparse grass on rocky hilltops, hillsides or on outcrops with scattered trees. Found from 5,000 to 6,000 ft elevation (Hebard, 1931; Tinkham, 1948).
Food habits - has been observed feeding on fourwing salt bush (Kumar et al., 1976).
Adult - medium size. General color is brown. Head is large. Eyes are rather small. Face is vertical. Dark band runs across face below antennae. Vertex is rounded and with ridges. Antennae are slender. Dorsal posterior margin of pronotum is a right angle. Lateral lobes of pronotum have curved dark bands. Median carina of pronotum is moderately high with two deep notches. Tegmina and wings are long. Tegmina have two broad, black bands that often fade posteriorly. Wings are yellow or pink with a spurred black band and a clear apex. Hind tibiae are yellow-brown or blue. Male length, 25 mm, female 28 mm (Ball et al., 1942; Scudder, 1876).
Seasonal history - adults are present during August and September (Ball et al., 1942).
Abundance and importance - rather common on the eastern Colorado plains (Gillette, 1904).
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Biology of Common Colorado Grasshoppers List
Biology of Common Colorado Grasshoppers
Grasshoppers of Colorado Contents
