Profile View of Grasshopper: This is a full profile view of the tiny grasshopper that I posted the face view of in a recent post. I measured it at 5/8-inch in overall length. I am not...

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

This is a full profile view of the tiny grasshopper that I posted the face view of in a recent post. I measured it at 5/8-inch in overall length. I am not sure of the exact species although it tends to resemble a 'Grizzly Locust' and possibly a 'Pygmy'.

If anyone has a suggestion on the identification of this little hopper that is a native to Missouri please let me know.

(Download)

tinusbum Loc: east texas

excellent as usual

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

tinusbum wrote:

excellent as usual

Thanks, Tinusbum. I wanted to do a session of it in a full profile view in an effort to showcase all of its features.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Awesome in the double-download.

relbugman Loc: MD/FL/CA/SC

Exquisite! It's in the family Tetrigidae, commonly just called a tetrigid or a pygmy grasshopper. There are many species (ca 1900+), don't know which this is. There are two common family variants, with long pronotum and long (or absent) 2nd wings like your female, or with shorter, but still long and pointed in back pn. and (I think I remember) no 2nd wings. The first wings are just a scale on the side. They commonly live by water, especially muddy banks and composting veg. The family is different from the Acrididae, the usual grasshoppers. https://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=tetrigidae&search=Search. Don't know what you feel about sharing with other free sites, but your photos (especially this one and the face view) would be very helpful to Bugguide viewers (and might yield an ID), but I do understand proprietary desires.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

relbugman wrote:

Exquisite! It's in the family Tetrigidae, commonl... (show quote)

Relbugman, thanks ever so much. I see bushels of grasshoppers however this is the first of this species that I have been able to get close enough to be able to collect. The info that you provided is very helpful to me in understanding more about what I find and see through the lens and I am eager to learn all that I can.

I'm humbled that someone like Bugguide or anyone other may find my images worthy of being beneficial in some way. I do this simply as a way of passing time since retirement and learning things in the world that has been around me all these years that I seldom if ever had truly paid attention to.

dsturr

sippyjug104 wrote:

This is a full profile view of the tiny grasshopper that I posted the face view of in a recent post. I measured it at 5/8-inch in overall length. I am not sure of the exact species although it tends to resemble a 'Grizzly Locust' and possibly a 'Pygmy'.

If anyone has a suggestion on the identification of this little hopper that is a native to Missouri please let me know.

Nicely done.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

dsturr wrote:

Nicely done.

Thanks for dropping by and for the reply.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

I don't know if its possible to identify this pygmy 'hopper to species without a detailed identification key and perusal of the insect from all angles.
But this is a beautiful picture even so. Here you can see very nicely that the hind wings are quite long, and projecting out the rear, while the vestigial fore wings are but oval pads on the side.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

I don't know if its possible to identify this pygmy 'hopper to species without a detailed identification key and perusal of the insect from all angles.
But this is a beautiful picture even so. Here you can see very nicely that the hind wings are quite long, and projecting out the rear, while the vestigial fore wings are but oval pads on the side.

Thanks, Mark. I truly appreciate all of the knowledge and mastery that you share with me. I'm pleased to know that some of my images provide details that others find interesting in some way. I've seen these little hoppers in the field from time to time however they always appear to be several hops away from me. Perhaps I need to buy a different deodorant..!!

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

sippyjug104 wrote:

Perhaps I need to buy a different deodorant..!!

I don't know about that! But a sweep net will do (that's like a butterfly net, but it has heavier cloth over the metal rim). You can think you know what's out there, but that simple tool will show you things you've never seen before. Just this summer I was using one, and besides finding new things I also came up with a number of pygmy grasshoppers including their nymphs. The tiniest grasshoppers I ever did see! Each time you stop to inspect what has been 'bagged', its' like opening up a little Christmas present. From mother nature.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

I don't know about that! But a sweep net will do (... (show quote)

Mark, that's something that I have been intending to do if nothing more than for the joy of discovery. I've watched videos of fellows sweeping the weeds and catching varieties of insects that would otherwise go unnoticed. Of course I also remember the images of the caretakers catching the crazy folks with nets to take them back to the "Nut House" which is where my Better Half thinks I should be.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Oh, I am beyond caring about how eccentric I look out there!