Red-Legged Grasshopper

melanoplus femurrubrum

The Red-Legged Grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum) is one of the most common and widely distributed grasshopper species in North America. Known for its remarkable jumping abilities and its distinct reddish hind legs, it is a familiar sight in meadows, fields, and along roadsides throughout its range. This generalist herbivore plays a significant role in many ecosystems, serving as a primary consumer of various plants and a food source for numerous predators. Its life cycle, from egg to nymph to winged adult, is completed within a single warm season, making it a prominent insect from late spring through autumn.

Habitat: Found in open, sunny environments such as meadows, agricultural fields, pastures, roadsides, and disturbed grassy areas.

Appearance

This medium-sized grasshopper typically measures between 1.5 to 3 cm in length. Its body color can vary from greenish-brown to dark brown, often with darker markings along its back. The most distinctive feature, and the origin of its common name, is the bright reddish coloration found on the lower part of its hind legs (tibiae). Adults possess fully developed wings, allowing for strong flight, and a robust body structure adapted for powerful leaps. Males are generally smaller than females.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOrthopteraFamilyAcrididaeGenusMelanoplus

Red-Legged Grasshopper

Interesting facts

A single female Red-Legged Grasshopper can lay several egg pods, each containing dozens of eggs, throughout the late summer and fall.

Red-Legged Grasshoppers are an important part of the food web, serving as a vital protein source for birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other invertebrates.

The species overwinters in the egg stage, with nymphs emerging in the spring and developing into adults by mid-summer.

Their reddish hind tibiae (shins) are a key identification feature and can be seen when they jump or fly, contrasting with their generally brown or green bodies.

Special abilities

Red-legged grasshoppers possess strong, muscular hind legs capable of propelling them many times their body length, an essential adaptation for evading predators.

Males produce distinct sounds by rubbing their hind legs against their forewings (stridulation), used primarily to attract mates and establish territory.

As polyphagous herbivores, they can feed on a wide variety of grasses, forbs, and crop plants, allowing them to thrive in diverse vegetative environments.

Measurements & details

Length: 1-3 cm
Wingspan: 3-5 cm
Weight: 0.0005-0.003 kg
Lifespan: 0-1 years
Clutch Size: 20-80

Diet & Feeding

The Red-Legged Grasshopper is a generalist herbivore, consuming a wide array of plant material. They are known to feed on both grasses and broad-leafed plants, often demonstrating a preference for certain species depending on availability.