Fauna
Insect · GBIF taxon 1707057

Great Crested Grasshopper

Tropidolophus formosus

Also known as Crested Grasshopper, High-crested Grasshopper

Great crested grasshoppers stand out among North American orthopterans with an immense, razorback pronotal crest that resembles a serrated green sail or leaf. When flushed from arid scrub or gravelly roadsides, they flash vibrant orange-red hindwings and produce a faint fluttering crackle before dropping swiftly back into cover. Adults spend hot days climbing stiff stems of desert globemallow and evening primrose, relying on remarkable camouflage to blend seamlessly into dense foliage.

DiurnalHerbivoreDesert
Great Crested Grasshopper reference1 / 2
Licensed reference(c) Robert Webster, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Globemallow foliage
  • Evening primrose
  • Desert herbs
Predators
  • Greater Roadrunner
  • Loggerhead Shrike
  • Northern Grasshopper Mouse
ThreatsPesticide application, overgrazing, and severe drought
HabitatsArid grasslands, desert scrub, and shortgrass prairie
Life span2–3 months as adult (single annual generation)
Classification
  1. FamilyAcrididae
  2. SpeciesTropidolophus formosus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Approaching: Walk slowly along sunny desert margins and watch for sudden fluttering bursts of red hindwings.
  • Basking Habits: Scan low-growing globemallow stems during early morning hours when adults warm themselves in direct sunlight.
Related species
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