Large Marsh Grasshopper vs Spur-throated Locust

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Marsh Grasshopper Spur-throated Locust
Scientific Name Stethophyma grossum Austracris guttulosa
Order Orthoptera Orthoptera
Family Acrididae Acrididae
Size 20-36 mm 50-75 mm
Habitat Underground Farmland
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Western Europe, Central Europe, Northern Europe Australia, Oceania
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Large Marsh Grasshopper

Europe's largest grasshopper, with bold red, yellow, and green colouring and bright red hindleg tibiae. It requires very wet, boggy habitats and makes a distinctive flicking song.

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Did You Know?

Its unique flick-song is produced by the grasshopper snapping its hindleg against its wing in a single crack.

Spur-throated Locust

A large Australian locust named for the distinctive spur on its throat. It is a major agricultural pest in northern and eastern Australia, particularly damaging to sorghum and other grain crops.

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Did You Know?

Unlike the plague locust, spur-throated locusts are primarily solitary but can form dense bands when conditions are favourable.