Yarrow's Grasshopper
Melanoplus yarrowii
This record describes Melanoplus yarrowii (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Similar to M. differentialis, but with no herringbone pattern on hind femur and with red hind tibiae. Usually there is a narrow dark stripe back from the eyes onto the pronotum and there are often at least faint diagonal dark bands across the outside of the hind femur. Similar to M. bivittatus and M. thomasi, but the markings on the hind femur are very different - no dark lengthwise racing stripes - (eastern M. bivittatus are a often bit more similar), and there are not two prominent pale stripes along the back. Also, M. bivittatus has shorter hind feet. Tip of male abdomen One noticeable characteristic of this species is the clown feet of especially the males. The hind tarsi are almost half as long as the hind femur. Those of M. differentialis are almost as long.
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.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Melanoplus yarrowii. 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 Yarrow's Grasshopper (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Eric R. Eaton; Additional contributions by David Ferguson , Tyler Hedlund