Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia

• Phylum: Arthropoda

• Class: Insecta

• Order: Orthoptera

• Family: Acrididae

• Genus: Dichromorpha

• Species: Dichromorpha viridis

Common Names

• Short-winged Green Grasshopper

• Northern Green-striped Grasshopper

Identification

• Appearance: Small to medium-sized grasshopper with relatively short wings.

• Size: Typically about 20 to 35 mm in length.

• Color: Predominantly green, which helps it blend into grassy environments, though some individuals may show variations in color, including yellowish or brownish hues.

Habitat

• Distribution: Found across much of North America, particularly in the United States.

• Natural Habitat: Prefers grassy areas such as meadows, fields, and open woodland edges where it can find abundant food and cover.

Ecological Role

• Diet: Herbivorous, primarily feeding on grasses and occasionally broad-leaved plants.

• Predators: Subject to predation by a wide range of birds, small mammals, and other insectivores.

Behavior

• Reproduction: Breeding typically occurs in the late spring and summer. Females deposit eggs in the soil, which overwinter and hatch in the following spring.

• Activity Patterns: Mostly active during the day, particularly sunny periods, when it feeds and engages in other behaviors.

Conservation and Management

• Status: Generally not considered threatened or endangered. Common and widespread across its range.

• Management Practices: No specific conservation actions are required for this species due to its abundance, but maintaining natural grassland habitats can support its populations along with other grassland-dependent species.

Research

• Studies may focus on its role in the ecosystem as a primary consumer, its population dynamics, and its responses to changes in habitat quality and climate conditions.