Oak-leaf Grasshopper
Tomonotus ferruginosus
This record describes Tomonotus ferruginosus (species). Recorded family: Acrididae. Recorded order: Orthoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
- Suborder
- Caelifera
- Family
- Acrididae (Short-horned Grasshoppers)
- Subfamily
- Oedipodinae
- Tribe
- Arphiini
- Genus
- Tomonotus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Mountain areas, mostly in arroyos and other low areas under Oak trees where leaf litter accumulates.
Geographic Range
Southeastern Arizona, and extreme southwestern New Mexico south through Sierra Madre Occidental region of northern Mexico.
Diet and Behavior
Life History
overwinters as partly grown nymphs, with adults appearing mostly in March, April, and May, becoming less abundant in June and few lingering into July and later.
About Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: the wider group
Order-level background for Orthoptera, the group containing Tomonotus ferruginosus. 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 Oak-leaf Grasshopper (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Ted Kropiewnicki; Additional contributions by David Ferguson , metrioptera