Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper
Heliastus subroseus
This record describes Heliastus subroseus (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Distinctive and easy to recognize. Very similar to Trimerotropis maritima when wings are folded, but somewhat smaller in size. However, pink wings with little indication of a dark cross band vs. yellow with a bold dark cross band make these two impossible to confuse when they fly. Psinidia amplicornus may be found in the same areas, but almost always has orange wings with a black cross band, never has a red hind tibia, has a narrower and more strongly sculpted pronotum, has a larger head, and has thicker antennae. It is also usually much more contrastingly patterned, and less sand-like in appearance. Differs from H. benjamini in distribution, more broken coloration, and in having a projection at the lower back angle of the sides of the pronotum. Wings have a curved cloudy dark band across the middle (missing in H. benjamini ).
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Oedipodinae
- Tribe
- Hippiscini
- Genus
- Heliastus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Gulf coastal dunes on coast and barrier islands.
Geographic Range
Coastal Texas from Galveston to Brownsville, and probably on into Mexico.
Seasonal Activity
Adults spring to autumn.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Hebard raised H. subroseus to species rank in 1937. H. sumachrasti is a very closely related insect from primarily coastal areas of tropical Mexico and Central America into Columbia and Venezuela. It is still posible that H. subroseus will be shown to be a regional variant of S. sumachrasti (which differs mainly in having no defined dark band on the wings, which may be yellow to orange, red, or pink). Two to four (depending on species definition) more species of Heliastus occur in Mexico.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Heliastus subroseus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Orthoptera includes ~28,000 described species of grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids. Desert locusts can form swarms covering 460 square miles containing up to 80 million individuals per square kilometer.
Ecological role of the group
Grasshoppers and crickets are a primary food source for birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Cricket farming is a growing industry - crickets require 12× less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, using 2,000× less water.
Economic and practical significance of the group
A single large locust swarm can consume the same amount of food in one day as 35,000 people. The 2019-2021 East Africa locust crisis affected food security for 42 million people across multiple countries. Global crop losses from locusts can reach billions annually.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, UN World Food Programme, research publications. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by David J. Ferguson; Additional contributions by Phillip Harpootlian , Steven Wang
Frequently Asked Questions About Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper
What is Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper?
Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper (Heliastus subroseus) is a species in the family Acrididae, within the order Orthoptera.
How do you identify Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper?
Distinctive and easy to recognize. Very similar to Trimerotropis maritima when wings are folded, but somewhat smaller in size. However, pink wings with little indication of a dark cross band vs. yellow with a bold dark cross band make these two impossible to confuse when they fly. Psinidia amplicornus may be found in the same areas, but almost always has orange wings with a black cross band, never has a red hind tibia, has a narrower and more strongly sculpted pronotum, has a larger head, and has thicker antennae. It is also usually much more contrastingly patterned, and less sand-like in appearance.
Where is Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Gulf coastal dunes on coast and barrier islands. |
| Range | Coastal Texas from Galveston to Brownsville, and probably on into Mexico. |
When is Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper active?
Rose-wing Beach Grasshopper: seasonal activity - Adults spring to autumn..