Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper
Melanoplus calidus
This record describes Melanoplus calidus (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Smallish, with short wings (most often just touching over back, and slightly longer than pronotum). Usually dull olive greenish in color (sometimes bluish, golden tinged or especially in females dull brownish) with dark markings not strongly contrasting when alive, with red hind tibiae (sometimes bluish). Cerci of a distinctive shape, pinched a bit in the middle, trunkated at the end, and curving inward toward the end. Pinned specimens usually loose the green color. Locally very common, but found in a restricted distribution where it is limited to the higher mountains.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Melanoplinae
- Tribe
- Melanoplini
- Genus
- Melanoplus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Mostly under Conifer woodland where there some scattered herbaceous growth.
Geographic Range
Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico, and White Mountains of Arizona and New Mexico
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Overwinters as eggs, with adults from about July to freezing weather.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Melanoplus calidus. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper
What is Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper?
Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper (Melanoplus calidus) is a species in the family Acrididae, within the order Orthoptera.
How big is Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper?
About 3/4 to 1 inch long, males more slender and somewhat shorter.
How do you identify Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper?
Smallish, with short wings (most often just touching over back, and slightly longer than pronotum). Usually dull olive greenish in color (sometimes bluish, golden tinged or especially in females dull brownish) with dark markings not strongly contrasting when alive, with red hind tibiae (sometimes bluish). Cerci of a distinctive shape, pinched a bit in the middle, trunkated at the end, and curving inward toward the end. Pinned specimens usually loose the green color.
Where is Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Mostly under Conifer woodland where there some scattered herbaceous growth. |
| Range | Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico, and White Mountains of Arizona and New Mexico |
What is the life cycle of a Sacramento Short-wing Grasshopper?
Overwinters as eggs, with adults from about July to freezing weather.