Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopper

melanoplus bispinosus

The Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopper (Melanoplus bispinosus) is a fascinating member of the spur-throat grasshopper family, primarily active during the warm summer and autumn months. Characterized by its specialized feeding habits and remarkable jumping ability, this insect plays an important role in recycling plant matter within its grassland and prairie ecosystems. Like other members of the genus Melanoplus, it possesses a distinct spine or tubercle on the underside of its throat, which is a key trait of this diverse group of insects. Observers often encounter this species in sandy grasslands and agricultural margins, where its cryptically colored body provides near-perfect camouflage against dry weeds and soil. While it may appear as a simple garden hopper, its evolutionary adaptations for leaping and digesting complex plant defenses make it a highly successful survivor in arid, open landscapes.

生息地: Found in open sandy prairies, grasslands, pastures, and disturbed roadsides where sparse vegetation and loose soils are common.

外見

This grasshopper typically ranges from 2 to 4 centimeters in length, showcasing a mottled grayish-brown to yellowish-tan base coloration. A prominent dark stripe runs from behind its compound eyes across the side of the pronotum. Its hind legs are particularly robust, featuring dark, oblique bands on the outer femur and blue or pale-blue tibiae with black-tipped spines. The male is distinguished by a pair of small, spine-like projections on the subgenital plate, giving the species its 'two-spined' common name.

界Animalia門Arthropoda綱Insecta目Orthoptera科Acrididae属Melanoplus

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopper

カテゴリ

昆虫

レア度

Common

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

スナップ

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おもしろい事実

In late autumn, females drill holes into the soil using their ovipositors to deposit egg pods that overwinter and hatch in spring.

The 'two-spined' identifier comes from two distinct small bumps or spine-like structures on the male's abdomen tip.

The common name 'spur-throat' refers to a tiny, peg-like projection located on the throat between their front legs.

特殊能力

Leverages muscular hind legs to leap dozens of times its body length, escaping immediate threats in milliseconds.

Adapts to dry conditions by efficiently recycling metabolic water and reducing water loss through a waxy cuticle.

Employs disruptive patterning that mimics dry grasses and sandy soils, rendering it invisible to avian predators while it feeds.

サイズと詳細

長さ: 2-4 cm
翼開長: 4-6 cm
体重: 0.001-0.003 kg
寿命: 1 年
Top Speed: 12 km/h
一度の産卵数: 15-50
抱卵期間: 15-30 日

食性と食事

Feeds on a wide range of herbaceous plants, including various grasses, weeds, and agricultural crops, digesting tough vegetation with specialized mandibles.

年齢による違い: Nymphs consume softer, younger plant tissue, while adults can feed on tougher, fibrous stems and leaves.

主な食物

Grasses
Forbs
Sunflowers
Weeds

採餌方法

Grazing

生態系とのつながり

host plant

Common Sunflower

Helianthus annuus

Feeds heavily on the foliage of this common grassland plant.

eaten by

Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus

Preys on grasshoppers, often impaling them on thorns or barbed wire.

eaten by

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Preys on both nymphs and adult grasshoppers during the summer.

特徴

このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。

別名

まだ別名はありません。

コレクション

テーマが追加されると、このオブジェクトのコレクションがここに表示されます。

安全性

危険度

1/5 · 非常に低い

まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。

よくある質問

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperを見分けるには？

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperの長さは何ですか？

2-4 cm

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperの翼開長は何ですか？

4-6 cm

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperの体重は何ですか？

0.001-0.003 kg

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperの寿命は何ですか？

1 年

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperのtop Speedは何ですか？

12 km/h

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperは何を食べますか？

Feeds on a wide range of herbaceous plants, including various grasses, weeds, and agricultural crops, digesting tough vegetation with specialized mandibles.

Two-Spined Spur-Throat Grasshopperは通常どこに生息していますか？

Found in open sandy prairies, grasslands, pastures, and disturbed roadsides where sparse vegetation and loose soils are common.