Species

• Almost 400 species of grasshoppers inhabit the western part of the United States. Although only 70 of these are commonly seen, the sheer diversity of species makes identification and control a challenge. While some species are susceptible to common pesticides, others require special treatment. A number of grasshopper species are also unlikely to swarm or cause significant damage to crops such as corn and wheat.
  
  

Appearance

• With nearly 400 species, grasshoppers come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Most share certain trends, however, including a predominately green and yellow coloration, large hind legs for hopping and wings on mature adults. Juveniles do not yet have wings and thereby lack the ability to fly. However, their powerful hind legs can still be used to jump considerable distances. Like all insects, grasshoppers have six legs, and their body is divided into a head, thorax and abdomen. Of these three sections, the abdomen is the most noticeable, accounting for roughly 75 percent of the body mass in most species.
  
  

Life Cycle

• In the late summer or early fall, female grasshopper lay their eggs underground, often in broods of 20 to 120 eggs. The eggs mature over the course of the next several weeks, developing into nymphs that look like embryonic grasshoppers. During the winter, these nymphs go into hibernation, and when the spring thaws them out, they resume growing to finally emerge as fully developed grasshoppers. Over the next several weeks, they'll continue growing in size, though with the exception of wings, they undergo no further anatomical changes. Wings typically develop within 30 to 40 days of hatching, though the time frame varies between species.
  
  

Food Sources

• Each grasshopper species has its preferred plant meal. Some love barley, others wheat and oat. Less common plants such as prairie dropseed and heath aster might also be the preferred diet of a less common species of grasshopper. In instances such as these, grasshopper populations can actually be a beneficial form of weed control. Because of their selective natures, grasshoppers will often "taste" food before eating them, using specialized palps to detect the plants composition.
  
  

Daily Cycle

• As cold-blooded animals, grasshoppers are sensitive to fluctuation in temperature. During the spring, they usually spend the first several hours of the day warming themselves in the sun before eating, mating or even simply moving. Conversely, during the hottest days of summer, grasshoppers become lethargic and move as little as possible, usually not even feeding. They only resume activity as the sun is setting. Throughout the year, grasshoppers seek shelter during the night, avoiding nocturnal predators such as bats and owls.