Grasshopper Pests in North America

In North America, there is not much effort to label grasshopper species as “locusts,” as is done elsewhere in the world, though the Central American locust, Schistocerca piceifrons (Walker), occurring in Mexico and southward into South America, is a notable exception. At least one additional species (Melanoplus sanguinipes[Fabricius]), perhaps others, would qualify as locusts using the standards of orthopterists elsewhere (see “Grasshopper and locust pests in Australia” for discussion of this topic). Also, the crop-damaging shieldback katydids or long-horned grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) are often called crickets, but functionally affect crops and rangeland like grasshoppers, or maybe even locusts, so they are mentioned below even though they are technically neither grasshoppers nor crickets. With few exceptions, North American grasshoppers considered to be pests are in the order Orthoptera and family Acrididae; the exceptions are lubber grasshoppers (Romaleidae) and the...