Two Grasshoppers

     Two kinds of grasshoppers, differentials and Carolinas, are commonly seen late in summer and  into autumn in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania cropland, as in other farmland across much of the United States.  Both these species of grasshoppers are almost two inches long at maturity, have wing spans of up to three and a half inches and long, powerful back legs for jumping to escape danger.  Both blend into their surroundings of grasses, weeds and soil in fields, and vegetated strips along country roads where they are most likely seen by most people.
     Differential grasshoppers are mostly olive-green with dark streaking on their upper thoraxes.  Their large hind legs are yellow with black V's in a herringbone pattern.  Differentials eat a variety of grasses, clovers, alfalfa and weeds, but giant ragweed is their favorite food.  Fortunately for this type of grasshopper, giant ragweeds, with pollen that makes us sneeze, are abundant along many rural roads in Lancaster County cropland.
     Differential grasshoppers are most often seen on country roads in fall, if one watches for them a little.  They're on the roads because of the abundance of grasshopper food plants growing just off the black top.  Unfortunately, some of these grasshoppers are crushed by vehicles on the roads.
     But, being adaptable, differential grasshoppers also live in city and suburban lawns and weedy vacant lots.  We have had this type of grasshopper on our lawn for several years.
     Carolina grasshoppers eat grass and weeds in weedy fields and along rural roadsides.  Both genders of these grasshoppers are tan, brown or gray, which blends them into their habitats of grass, weeds and bare ground such as dirt roads.  And the winged adults of this species are strong flyers,  flushing into the air quickly at any slight hint of danger and flying up to 30 feet, or more, at an altitude of two to three feet.
     Males of both species of grasshoppers court females of their respective kinds by producing sound to attract them.  Differential males make a buzzing by rubbing their back wings against their front ones.  Male Carolina grasshoppers court females, in part, by rubbing their hind legs against their wings to make a rythmic stridulation, or "fiddling".  And those males are conspicuous when hovering a few feet above surrounding vegetation and making a soft, rattling sound with their rapidly fluttering wings.  Each male hovers up to ten seconds with every airborne courtship.  And each suitor displays himself several times in a row over a period of about five minutes.  His beating back wings are black with pale-yellow margins, which makes his displays even more obvious to females, and us.
     Both these species of grasshoppers are preyed on by many kinds of creatures, including American kestrels, merlins, screech owls, skunks, raccoons, foxes, American toads, common toads, shrews, praying mantises and others.  But these grasshoppers have defenses, including camouflage and large, strong jumping legs.  And each surviving female lays many eggs that make up for losses.
     Adults of both kinds of grasshoppers in this area die in the first heavy frosts of late October.  But their eggs, which were deposited safely in the soil in fall, live to start another generation of grasshoppers the next spring.  Grasshoppers are as beautiful and intriguing as any other kind of wildlife.  They are well worth looking for in the wild.