Chinese Grasshopper (Acrida cinerea)

OTHER NAMES: Oriental Longheaded Locust
Latin Etymology: Acrida ("locust") cinerea ("ashy")

Adult Chinese Grasshopper (subspecies A. c. cinerea) at Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan - June 2013

Featured Subspecies: Acrida cinerea cinerea
Length: 5-7cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NOT EVALUATED IN UK / IUCN Red List: Data Deficient

Like many insect species in Japan, it is very hard to actually find much information in English on them outside of their broad taxonomy.  I found this individual while walking along the river at Arashiyama in the suburbs of Kyoto, and it mainly stuck out due to the enormous size compared to most UK species, with those enormous back legs relative to the slenderness of it's body.  This individual had unfortunately lost one of its legs somehow prior to me seeing it.

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Acrida
Subspecies: A. c. cinerea, A. c. willemsei

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - ショウリョウバッタ  /  Shōryōbatta ("Show Ryo Grasshopper")

 Resident seen in Summer..

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A single individual along the river at Arashiyama.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto  .

Green Mountain Grasshopper (Miramella alpina)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Miramella (?) alpina ("Alpine")

Adult Green Mountain Grasshopper (subspecies M. a. alpina) in the Dolomites, Italy - July 2004

Featured Subspecies: Miramella alpina alpina
Wingspan: ?  /  Length: 16-30mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

I saw this species on my trip to the Dolomites in Italy and it was fairly common in the alpine meadows of the mountains.  It is found in Central Europe from France to Poland and mainly in moist habitats including the aforementioned meadows, plus wet clearings and open woods.  They are a very brightly coloured species, a much more vivid green than the species back in the UK, which is what made me spot it, plus the fact it had landed on my hiking pole!

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Miramella
Subspecies: M. a. alpina, M. a. subalpina

 - Sighting Locations -

ITALY - Italian: ?

A fairly common resident of mountain meadows

 - DOLOMITES 2001 TRIP: A seen at various points in the Dolomites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Chorthippus (?) parallelus ("parallel")

Adult Meadow Grasshopper (subspecies C. b. brunneus) at Geddington, Northants - July 2010

Featured Subspecies: Chorthippus parallelus brunneus
Length: 10-23mm  /  Wingspan: ? 
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

Along with the Common Field Grasshopper, the Meadow Grasshopper is one of the two common grasshopper species found in Britain.  However, it is a little smaller than the other species, and green rather than the (usual) brown of the Field Grasshopper.  This particular individual had lost one of its hind legs, but was still capable of the spectacularly large jumps that grasshoppers are famed for,

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Chorthippus
SUBSPECIES: N/A

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident seen in Summer

 - Common around Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)

OTHER NAMES: Field Grasshopper

Latin Etymology: Chorthippus (?) brunneus ("brown")

Adult Common Field Grasshopper (subspecies C. b. brunneus) at Geddington, Northants - July 2010

Featured Subspecies: Chorthippus brunneus brunneus
Length: 15-25mm  /  Wingspan: ? 
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A very common and widely variable species found in heath and grasslands throughout the UK and Europe, as well as North Africa and some of Asia.  It is fairly ubiquitous in Britain as one of the most species. While most commonly brown like the one above, the species can be green, purple and black among others.  Like many grasshoppers, they are often quite easy to hear from the undergrowth before you see them.

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Chorthippus 
SUBSPECIES: C. b. brevis, C. b. brunneus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident seen in Summer

 - Common around Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

-Unnamed Species- (Phlaeoba antennata)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Phlaeoba (?) antennata ("having antennae") 

Phlaeoba antennata at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - August 2026

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 17mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A grasshopper species found in South and South-East Asia, seen in Genting Highlands.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Phlaeoba
SUBSPECIES: P. a. antennata, P. a. malayensis
 
- Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA 
 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Seen at Genting Highlands 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Two-striped Grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus)

OTHER NAMES: Yellow-striped Grasshopper 
Latin Etymology: Melanoplus ("dark tool")  bivittatus ("two striped")

Two-striped Grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus) at Lake Saskatoon, Alberta, Canada - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 30-55mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

An extremely widely distributed grasshopper found across almost the entire Lower 48 except the Sourthern Border and the Gulf of Mexico, extending its range up with the prairies into Canada. They can cause crop damage as they will feed on a wide variety of plants, particularly flowers etc.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Melanoplus
SUBSPECIES: M. b. bivittatus, M. b. femoratus
 
- Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Present in Praries in Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta  

UNITED STATES - Present throughout most of the Lower 48.
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in multiple States.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Packard's Grasshopper (Melanoplus packardii)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Melanoplus ("dark tool") packardii ("Packard's")

Packard's Grasshopper (Melanoplus packardii) in Alberta, Canada - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 22-34mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A species of the prairie where it feeds on assorted flowering plants, grasses and sedges. They prefer sandy grasslands, particularly of uplands and river bottoms. The precise habitat of this individual is debatable as it flew in the car window while we were driving.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Melanoplus
SUBSPECIES: ?
 
- Sighting Locations -

CANADA -Present in Praries in Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina)

OTHER NAMES: Carolina Locust, Black-winged Grasshopper, Road-duster, Quaker
Latin Etymology: Dissosteira (?) carolina ("Carolina")

Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina) at Medora, North Dakota, USA -July 2024

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 32-58mm  /  Wingspan: 75-102mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A widely distributed species of grasshopper across North America found across almost the entire Lower 48 save the Mexican Border and the Florida Penninsula, and North into Southern Canada. They often sit on dust tracks and roads using their cryptic camoflage but in flight have brightly coloured wings that give the impression of a butterfly. They are varied herbivores favouring grasses of the genus Bromus. Historically, it did periodically have irruptions causing damage to crops, but these have not occured since the 1930s.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Dissosteira
SUBSPECIES: ?
 
- Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES -  Widely distributed species in the lower 48
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen frequently in Chicago to Wyoming sections. 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Egyptian Bird Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium)

OTHER NAMES: Egyptian Locust, Egyptian Grasshopper
Latin Etymology: Anacridium (?) aegyptium ("of Egypt") 

Egyptian Bird Grasshopper (Anacridium aegyptium) at Side, Antalya, Turkiye - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 3-7cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A widely distributed species of grasshopper found largely along the Mediterranean coast and into Central Asia, although, ironically, only turns up sporadically in Egypt itself. It is a solitary species, and so despite feeding on foliage it is not regarded as a pest. 
 
Related Species: 
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Anacridium
SUBSPECIES: ?
 
- Sighting Locations -

TURKEY
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - Several around Side 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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-Unnamed Species- (Parapodisma setouchiensis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Parapodisma ("like podisma") setouchiensis ("from Setouchi")

Parapodisma setouchiensis at Kyoto, Japan - July 2013

Featured Subspecies: ?
Weight: ?  /  Length: 22-30mm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IIUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

A species of flightless grasshopper native to Japan and the Korean Penninsula. They are active from July til September in low elevations. They primarily feed on butterbur and arrowroot.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Parapodisma
SUBSPECIES: ?

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN -
 Resident seen in Summer.

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A single individual along the river at Arashiyama.

  Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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