Huckleberry Spur-throat Grasshopper
Melanoplus fasciatus
Identification 3
Wing length is very helpful in identifying this species. Female wings are about 2/3 the length of the abdomen and male wings are about 3/4 the length of the abdomen. Male terminalia are distinctive. See photos at BugGuide or Orthoptera Species File.
Individuals with full length wings apparently do occur, but are rare.
Resources 3
Orthoptera Species File: http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1110189
Froeschner, R.C., 1954. The grasshoppers and other Orthoptera of Iowa. Iowa State College Journal of Science 29:163-354. https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/handle/20.500.12876/49794
Capinera, J.L., R.D. Scott, and T.J. Walker. 2004. Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids, and Crickets of the United States. Cornell University Press.
Vickery, V.R. and Kevan, D.K., 1985. The grasshoppers, crickets, and related insects of Canada and adjacent regions. Ulonata: Dermaptera, Cheleutoptera, Notoptera, Dictuoptera, Grylloptera, and Orthoptera. Insects and Arachnids of Canada, Part 14. Agriculture Canada. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2016/aac-aafc/agrhist/A42-42-1985-14-eng.pdf
Blatchley, W. S. 1920. Orthoptera of Northeastern America: With Especial Reference to the Faunas of Indiana and Florida. Nature Publishing Company, Indianapolis, IN. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/1700
Occurrence 3
This species has a large distribution from Alaska and northern Canada into the northern U.S. East of the Rockies, it extends south to a line between Colorado and Tennessee, but it appears to be relatively scarce in the southern part of its range. In Iowa, Froeschner (1954) reported it from 5 counties mostly in the western half of the state, though there seems no reason it should be confined to the western half. There is a single record in iNaturalist from southwest Iowa.
Habitat 3
This species usually occurs in woodlands and is apparently is always associated with Vaccinium species (Huckleberry, Blueberry, etc.).
Sources and Credits
- (c) Matt Pelikan, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Pelikan
- (c) Kelly Krechmer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kelly Krechmer
- (c) Tyler Grant, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
