Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids are part of the insect order Orthoptera, known for long legs that give them the ability to jump, stiff wings that fold against the body, and noises made by rubbing their wings against each other or against their legs. Some species are considered crop pests. They are most closely related to stick insects (walking sticks) and leaf insects, and somewhat more distantly related to cockroaches, termites, stoneflies, and mantises.
Red-legged Grasshopper (Melanoplus femurrubrum ) – to 1″. Brown or olive above, yellow below, with red lower hindlegs. A common species found in crops and grass. Very similar to Devastating Grasshopper. (photo © natureguy )
Two-striped Grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus ) – To 2″. Yellowish-brown with a light stripe coming back from each eye. Prefers meadows and weedy areas, often in cultivated or urban areas. (photo © Mike )
Clear-winged Grasshopper (Camnula pellucida ) – To 1.2″. Grayish or brownish with dark spots. Notable that hind wings are clear, most visible when flying. Found in grassland and grain fields. (photo © Noah Strycker )
Carolina Grasshopper (Dissosteira carolina ) – To 2.3″. Our largest grasshopper. Drab yellowish, brown, or gray. While flying wings are black, edged in yellow. Found near bare ground such as roadsides. (photo © Micah Carrrick )
Pallid-winged Grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis ) – To 1.6″. Gray to grayish-tan with dark bands on wings. When flying wings have pale yellow base and dark middle band. Found in dry habitats. (photo © Mark Nikas )
Crackling Forest Grasshopper (Trimerotropis verruculata ) – To 1.5″. Dark mottled gray. When flying inner wings yellow, outer brown with black band between and make a cracking sound. Found in forest clearings. (photo © Lee Cain )
Marsh Meadow Grasshopper (Pseudochorthippus curtipennis ) – To 0.9″. Green or brown in front, abdomen yellow with black bands. Head is notably slanted. Found in lush meadows and grass near wetlands. (photo © Joe Kunkel )
Slender Grasshopper (Tetrix subulata ) – To 0.5″. Very small grasshopper. Gray, sometimes with a light stripe on top. Found in open mud and short, exposed vegetation. (photo © Jim Johnson )
Aztec Pygmy Grasshopper (Paratettix aztecus ) – To 0.5″. Variations of dark mottling. Bulbous eyes, notably broad scale behind the head, narrow wings. Feeds on algae at water’s surface and edge. (photo © Chris Mallory )
Fall Field Cricket (Gryllus pennsylvanicus ) – To 1.0″. A squat, nondescript species, dark brown to black. Found in fields, forest edges, around homes, and in basements. Chirps in late summer and autumn. (photo © John D Reynolds )
Striped Ground Cricket (Allonemobius fasciatus ) – Brown with alternating dark and light stripes in most specimens. Chirp is higher pitched and metallic. Found in damp grassy areas and the edges of wetlands. (photo © Jonathan Fréchette )
West Coast Ant Cricket (Myrmecophilus oregonensis ) Thomas Barbin )
Snowy Tree Cricket (Oecanthus fultoni ) – To 0.7″. Pale green with clear wings. Black marks in the middle of each of 1st two antennae segments. Counting chirps in 12.5 seconds and then adding 38 gives a rough estimate of the temperature. (photo © Anthony Frausto )
Riley’s Tree Cricket (Oecanthus rileyi ) – To 0.7″. Pale green with clear wings. 2nd black mark on antennae is smaller and near edge of segment. Chirps slightly more than half as fast as Snowy Tree Cricket. Found in bushes and trees. (photo © Damon Tighe )
Western Tree Cricket (Oecanthus californicus ) – To 0.7″. Pale green to brown. First two antennae segments are reddish and lack black marks. Call is a continuous trill rather than distinct chirps. Found in low trees and bushes. (photo © Robby Deans )
Prairie Tree Cricket (Oecanthus argentinus ) – To 0.6″. Pale green with brown lower abdomen and outer limbs. Large black marks on 1st two antennae segments run together or come close. Call is similar to Western Tree Cricket. Found in fields and crops. (photo © sarasims )
Four-spotted Tree Cricket (Oecanthus quadripunctatus ) – To 0.6″. Whitish-green. 4-6 black spots/dashes are separated across the 1st two antennae segments. Call is continuous trill, higher-pitched than Prairie Tree Cricket. Found in fields and crops. (photo © Dan Johnson )
Slender Meadow Katydid (Conocephalus fasciatus ) – To 0.6″. Green with brown wings and brown top of head and abdomen. Slender for a katydid. Call is a mix of trills and buzzing. Found in meadows and gardens. (photo © natureguy )
Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (Scudderia furcata ) Jim Johnson )
Mediterranean Katydid Phaneroptera nana ) Jim Johnson )
Drumming Katydid (Meconema thalassinum ) – To 0.75″. Small lime-green katydid with short wings. Call is made by tapping feet on the surface of leaves. Found on and near hardwood trees. Introduced from Europe. (photo © Ipbp )
Square-legged Camel Cricket (Tropidischia xanthostoma ) – To 0.8″. Various shades of brown with incredibly long legs spanning up to 4″. Found in moist forest caves, waterfalls, and streamsides. (photo © Tom Rickman )
Steindachner’s Shieldback Neduba steindachneri )Jim Johnson )
Tessellated Shieldback (Tessellana tessellata ) – Brown with tan cap and black eyebrow, black tessellations on wings. Long antennae unlike grasshopper. Call resembles scratchy washboard. Introduced from Europe. (photo © Gilles San Martin )
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