Grasshoppers are insects in the order Orthoptera (suborder Caelifera) and are best known for their powerful hind legs, which let them leap impressive distances. Depending on the species, they can be tiny, thumb-sized, vividly patterned, or surprisingly large and heavy-bodied. Many are excellent at camouflage, blending into dry grass, bare soil, shrubs, or wetlands—until they jump or flash colored wings.
Before the species list, here are a few quick pointers that match what most readers want when browsing a “types of grasshoppers” guide:
How to tell grasshoppers apart (fast)
Head shape: cone-headed / “snout” grasshoppers look very different from short-faced species.
Wing flash: some species reveal bright blue, pink, or red hindwings when they fly.
Leg color: red or yellow tibiae (the “shin” segment) can be an easy clue.
Habitat: dunes vs. wetlands vs. rocky scrub often narrow the options quickly.
Size and sex: females are commonly larger than males (sometimes dramatically).
Grasshopper vs. locust (simple explanation)
A “locust” is not a separate kind of insect—it’s a grasshopper species that can, under certain conditions, shift into swarming behavior and form huge outbreaks. Many grasshoppers never do this and stay solitary their entire lives.
1) Long-headed Grasshopper (Truxalis nasuta)
How to recognize it: A slim body and an unmistakable elongated, snout-like head that makes it look “stretched” compared with most grasshoppers.
Size: Up to about 75 mm in large individuals.
Where it lives: Dry grasslands and scrubby habitats across parts of southern Iberia, the Mediterranean region, and into North Africa and South Asia.
Diet: Herbivore, feeding on grasses and other vegetation.
Why it’s interesting: Its straw-green coloring and narrow shape make it nearly invisible among tall, dry grasses—until it jumps.
2) Canary Islands Grasshopper (Calliptamus plebeius)
How to recognize it: Typically reddish-brown tones that blend with arid shrubs; sturdy build for its size.
Size: Males around 17 mm, females around 27 mm.
Where it lives: Endemic to the Canary Islands, from coastal zones up to high elevations (including areas above 2,000 m).
Diet: Shrubs and herbs, including local plants like brooms (e.g., Spartocytisus).
Browsing tip: If you’re hiking arid Canary scrubland and see a small, earth-toned hopper that vanishes into the vegetation, this is a strong candidate.
3) Jucund Grasshopper (Chorthippus jucundus)
How to recognize it: Often uniformly green with reddish tibiae; lacks obvious white wing stripes seen in some relatives.
Size: Males 15–18 mm, females 18–22 mm.
Where it lives: Mountain wetlands and damp meadow systems in parts of southern France, including wet grasslands and edges of boggy areas.
Diet: Mostly grasses and rushes.
Behavior note: Wetland grasshoppers often rely on stillness and color-matching rather than long flights.
4) Blue-winged Grasshopper (Oedipoda caerulescens)
How to recognize it: Earthy brown/gray body; when it flies, it flashes bright blue hindwings with a bold dark band.
Size: About 1.5–3 cm.
Where it lives: Very adaptable—bare ground, dry grasslands, disturbed soils, field edges, open woodland, and even semi-desert areas across Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
Diet: Grasses, seeds, leaves, and sometimes cereal crops (e.g., wheat and barley).
Fun fact: The blue flash can startle predators; once it lands, it folds the wings and “disappears” into gravelly ground.
5) Festive Grasshopper (Stenobothrus festivus)
How to recognize it: Straight antennae and a distinctly angular pronotum (the shield-like segment behind the head).
Size: Males 15–18 mm, females 18–22 mm.
Where it lives: Steppe-like meadows and mid-elevation slopes up to around 1,300 m, especially in Mediterranean regions.
Diet: Herbaceous plants, mostly grasses and forbs.
ID tip: In sunny, dry slopes with mixed grasses, look for a small-to-medium hopper that matches the grass color extremely well.
6) Iberian Giant Grasshopper (Acinipe hesperica)
How to recognize it: Robust, heavy-bodied grasshopper with comparatively reduced wings, built more for walking/clambering than long flight.
Size: Females can reach 70–80 mm (very large for Europe).
Where it lives: Warm, dry, rocky scrublands in parts of Spain and North Africa.
Diet: Mainly herbs and leaves.
Why it stands out: Among rocky ground and low shrubs, its thick build and slow, deliberate movement can feel “reptile-like” compared to more flighty grasshoppers.
7) Javanese Grasshopper (Valanga nigricornis)
How to recognize it: Strong sexual dimorphism; colors range from yellow-brown to green with darker markings; hindwings can show pinkish to reddish tones.
Size: Males 45–55 mm, females 55–75 mm.
Where it lives: Southeast Asia in forests, clearings, shrubs, and plantations.
Diet: Highly polyphagous—feeds on many plant families, including grasses, legumes, and cultivated crops.
Practical note: In agricultural settings, it’s often noticed because it’s big, conspicuous, and not picky about what it eats.
8) Egyptian Locust (Anacridium aegyptium)
How to recognize it: Eyes with vertical striping, relatively short antennae, and a pronotum that may show pale markings with a warmer-toned stripe.
Size: Females 65–70 mm, males roughly 30–55 mm.
Where it lives: Dry scrub, maquis, orchards, and open shrubland from sea level up to about 1,500 m.
Behavior: Typically solitary, not strongly swarm-forming like classic plague locusts.
Diet: Leaves of shrubs and trees.
Browse-friendly clue: If you see a large, slow-moving “locust-like” insect in Mediterranean orchards or scrub with distinctive striped eyes, this is a prime suspect.
9) Vagrant Grasshopper (Schistocerca nitens)
How to recognize it: Large, long-winged adults; nymphs may appear lime green to yellowish.
Where it lives: Broad range from the southwestern United States through parts of Central and South America (down to Peru).
Habitat: Deserts, grasslands, scrub, montane forests, tropical zones, and sometimes even urban areas.
Diet: Shrubs, herbs, and grasses.
Why it’s notable: Its flexibility—few grasshoppers thrive across such a diverse set of environments.
10) Mediterranean Slant-faced Grasshopper (Acrida ungarica)
How to recognize it: Long, narrow body and a distinctly conical head—it can look like a grass blade with legs.
Size: Often around 6 cm in length.
Where it lives: Dry meadows, dunes, salt flats, and steppe-like habitats around the Mediterranean.
Color: Green or brown, often shifting with the surrounding vegetation.
Diet: Herbivore, mainly grasses and other plants.
ID trick: Watch how it aligns its body with stems—this “stick posture” is a giveaway.
11) Barbarous Grasshopper (Calliptamus barbarus)
How to recognize it: Typically brown-gray tones; medium build; often found basking in sunny places.
Size: Commonly around a few centimeters (reported ranges can vary widely by population and age).
Where it lives: Warm, dry slopes, garrigue scrub, and xeric habitats across parts of Europe and into Asia.
Diet: Herbs, seeds, shoots; can also nibble cultivated plants.
Behavior note: Prefers sunny, hot microhabitats, often sitting still until approached.
12) Italian Locust (Calliptamus italicus)
How to recognize it: Grayish body with darker speckling and lighter banding; hindwings often show pinkish tones near the base; hind legs may appear reddish or rosy.
Where it lives: Dry Mediterranean landscapes, semi-deserts, steppes from Europe to Asia.
Diet: Often favors broadleaf (dicot) plants like Artemisia and Achillea, but can shift and damage crops during population booms.
Why it matters: This is a classic example of a grasshopper that can behave “locust-like” during periodic outbreaks.
13) Green-striped Grasshopper (Chortophaga viridifasciata)
How to recognize it: Variable colors (green, brown, or mixed) often with a paler stripe pattern; wings may look yellowish with a darker tip in some individuals.
Where it lives: Widely across North America, favoring moist meadows, sunny grasslands, roadsides, and pasture edges.
Diet: Mostly grasses (common pasture and lawn grasses are frequently eaten).
Browsing tip: If you’re in North America and want a “most likely to see” grasshopper in mixed grass habitat, this is one of the top candidates.
14) Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis)
How to recognize it: Medium-to-large grasshopper with yellow-green tones and noticeable patterning; tibiae often appear yellowish with darker spines.
Size: About 28–50 mm.
Where it lives: Much of the United States, parts of southern Canada, and into Mexico, especially in humid fields, open woodland edges, and agricultural zones.
Diet: Polyphagous—grasses and many broadleaf plants; may feed on crops and garden plants.
Why it’s well-known: It’s a common agricultural species in many regions and can become abundant in favorable years.
15) Australian Giant Grasshopper (Valanga irregularis)
How to recognize it: Very large; gray-green body with darker mottling; hindwings can be darker, helping it blend in when resting.
Size: Females about 80–90 mm, males around 60 mm.
Where it lives: Northern and eastern Australia, mainly in tropical and subtropical zones—often in shrubs, gardens, and bushland edges.
Behavior: Often basks in the morning, then feeds actively later.
Diet: Eats a wide variety of leaves, which is why it shows up in gardens as well as natural habitats.
Quick “Which one did I see?” clues
Snout/cone head: Truxalis nasuta or Acrida ungarica
Blue hindwings in flight: Oedipoda caerulescens
Huge, heavy-bodied in Iberian rocky scrub: Acinipe hesperica
Striped eyes, Mediterranean orchards/scrub: Anacridium aegyptium
Very large in Australia, common in gardens: Valanga irregularis
North America “common meadow” type: Chortophaga viridifasciata
Why grasshoppers matter (beyond being “bugs”)
Grasshoppers are important plant consumers that shape grassland growth, and they’re also a major food source for birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals. In balanced ecosystems, they’re part of the normal cycle. Problems arise when weather and habitat conditions let certain species multiply rapidly—especially the more outbreak-prone “locust” types.
Bibliography
Animalia.bio. https://animalia.bio/es
Wild Life Natural. https://wildlifenatural.com/.
Animal Diversity Web. https://animaldiversity.org/
Brisbane Insects (2013). Giant grasshopper (Valanga irregularis). Available at: https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/.
Joachim, J. (2021). Sténobothre occitan (Stenobothrus festivus). https://jessica-joachim.com/
Jardin Sauvage (2021). Orthoptera: order of caelifera. https://jardinsauvage.fr/.
NatureSpot (s.f.). Egyptian grasshopper – Anacridium aegyptium. https://www.naturespot.org.uk/.
