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Melanoplus differentialis
A Differential grasshopper spotted along the boardwalk at Huntley Meadows Park. Thanks to PN spotter "BobSpader" for the extra effort to identify this specimen! I've never seen a golden grasshopper. One of Bob's comments is consistent with my experience -- this was in fact an uncommon sighting in Northern Virginia USA!
Huntley Meadows Park, a 1,425 acre wetland area in Fairfax County, Virginia USA. Related Resource: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntl...
Copyright © 2012 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved. www.wsanford.com
Emma, I am not an expert on grasshoppers by any means -- just have a pretty good field guide. In my "inexpert" opinion, your sighting is the same. That herringbone pattern on the legs is pretty distinctive and California is within the range of the Differential Grasshopper. I am ready to be corrected by someone with more knowledge, however.
Bob, i found a similar one which is also out of the normal range. Could it be the same?
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/129...
Geodialist, although the description of its range on Wikipedia excludes the eastern US, Capinera, Scott and Walker's "Field Guide to Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets of the United States" (2004) shows the range of the Differential Grasshopper extends to northern Virginia. So, unless the range is expanding, this would appear to be an uncommon spotting. Nice!
Geodialist, I am suggesting that it is a Differential Grasshopper. Their body color is variable -- often olive green but can be yellow. (See variations in Google images.) The herringbone pattern on the legs is distinctive. Huntley Meadows Park would appear to be at the very edge of its range and your spotting is a particularly yellow example.
Spotted on Aug 21, 2012
Submitted on Aug 23, 2012
