Rusty Bird Grasshopper
Schistocerca rubiginosa
This record describes Schistocerca rubiginosa (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
This is a member of the Alutacea Group, which includes several very closely related populations that are treated by some authors all as subspecies of S. alutacea , while most authors treat most as distinct species. S. rubiginosa is very similar and closely related to S. alutacea , and has been treated as a subspecies. However, there is some evidence that S. rubiginosa is perhaps more closely related to S. lineata and that the two may intergrade where they meet or overlap distributions. For the most part the two species displace one-another geographically, but in the areas of contact many specimens (females in particular) may not be identifiable as one or the other. [see further notes under Schisticerca lineata Eastern Coastal segregate.]
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Cyrtacanthacridinae
- Genus
- Schistocerca (Bird Grasshoppers)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Most often found in sandy open weedy or prairie-like areas, or along beaches and on sand dunes.
Geographic Range
Primarily Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain from Texas to North Carolina. There are records northward along the coast to Connecticut, and inland onto the Peidmont and through northern Mississippi to Tennessee. There are published records (which probably need verification) further north into the Midwest, which may all actually have been referable to S. lineata as now defined. S. rubiginosa shares most of its distribution with S. alutacea , but favors more open and xeric, usually sandy habitats.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
Overwinters as eggs, hatching in spring, with adults mostly seen from June to October, sometimes with some surviving later if weather allows. Adult season is more extended and less well-defined in Peninsular Florida.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Schistocerca rubiginosa. 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 Rusty Bird Grasshopper (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Tony DiTerlizzi; Additional contributions by cotinis , David Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions About Rusty Bird Grasshopper
What is Rusty Bird Grasshopper?
Rusty Bird Grasshopper (Schistocerca rubiginosa) is a species in the family Acrididae, within the order Orthoptera.
Where is Rusty Bird Grasshopper found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Most often found in sandy open weedy or prairie-like areas, or along beaches and on sand dunes. |
| Range | Primarily Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plain from Texas to North Carolina. There are records northward along the coast to Connecticut, and inland onto the Peidmont and through northern Mississippi to Tennessee. There are published records (which probably need verification) further north into the Midwest, which may all actually have been referable to S. lineata as now defined. S. rubiginosa shares most of its distribution with S. alutacea , but favors more open and xeric, usually sandy habitats. |
What is the life cycle of a Rusty Bird Grasshopper?
Overwinters as eggs, hatching in spring, with adults mostly seen from June to October, sometimes with some surviving later if weather allows. Adult season is more extended and less well-defined in Peninsular Florida.