Invertebrates
See our handy guide to critters found in local homes and our Central Coast Butterfly FAQ. Browse the insects and other terrestrial arthropods we’ve identified. Check out local marine invertebrates, particularly bivalve mollusks and intertidal organisms.
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Grasshopper
Hello!
Can you tell what type of grasshopper this is? I saw it out at UCSB West Campus.
Thank you!
Kevin
Curator Response
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for sharing your grasshopper. This is is an adult of one of the band-winged grasshoppers (family Acrididae, subfamily Oedipodinae), probably the species Trimerotropis pallidipennis, the Pallid-winged Grasshopper, judging by the pattern, coloration, and overall proportions. Members of this subfamily are called band-winged grasshoppers because their hind wing, hidden by the front wing at rest, often reveals a black band bordering striking colors when unfolded. This can be seen when these grasshoppers make one of their distinctive flying leaps, often accompanied by a loud crackling noise (called crepitation) produced when the membranes between the veins in the hind wings are suddenly popped taut. Trimerotropis pallidipennis reveals a pale yellowish hind wing, but other local members can display orange, pink, red, green, or even bright blue hind wings!
Stay curious,
Schlinger Chair and Curator of Entomology Matthew Gimmel, Ph.D.