American Grasshopper, Schistocerca americana (Drury) (Insecta: Orthoptera: Acrididae)

John L. Capinera and Jason M. Squitier

Release Date: 7/15/2025

Agriculture

Abstract

The American grasshopper, Schistocerca americana (Drury), occasionally causes serious damage to crops and ornamental plants, and their great abundance can be a nuisance. Fields can be invaded daily by the adult grasshoppers, which often roost at night in nearby trees and shrubs (Kuitert and Connin 1952). The short-winged nymphs are less mobile, of course, and normally reside within sunny fields, as the grasshoppers avoid shade. Their eggs are deposited in the soil.

About this Publication

This document is EENY-004, one of a series of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date September 1996. Revised December 2006, July 2011, December 2014, October 2017, and December 2024. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the latest version of this publication.

About the Authors

John L. Capinera, emeritus professor, and Jason M. Squitier, former graduate assistant, Department of Entomology and Nematology; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.