Insect · GBIF taxon 1704714
Pasture Locust
Orphulella speciosaAlso known as Slant-faced Pasture Grasshopper, Pasture Grasshopper
Slant-faced pasture grasshoppers blend seamlessly into grasslands, prairies, and open fields across central and eastern North America. Their sharply angled head profile and variable green-to-brown coloration provide excellent camouflage among blades of grass. Males sing on warm afternoons by rubbing tiny pegs on their hind legs against hardened wing veins to attract mates.
GrasslandCamouflagedHerbivore
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Grasses
- Sedges
- Forbs
Predators
- Songbirds
- Spiders
- Rodents
ThreatsHabitat loss, agricultural pesticide application, and land development
HabitatsPastures, tallgrass prairies, old fields, and lawns
Life span1 year
Classification
- OrderOrthoptera
- FamilyAcrididae
- GenusOrphulella
- SpeciesOrphulella speciosa
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting: Look closely among short to medium grass blades during warm summer months.
- Listening: Listen for faint rasping sounds made by males strumming their wings with their legs.
- Approach: Move slowly to avoid flushing them into short escape leaps.
Co-Occurring Species (c) Robert Webster, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Robert Webster · cc-by-sa
Image unavailableGrassland Neighbor 
Close Relative (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Laura Gaudette · cc-by
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