Rainbow Grasshopper vs Gray Bird Grasshopper
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Rainbow Grasshopper | Gray Bird Grasshopper |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dactylotum variegatum | Schistocerca nitens |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Acrididae | Acrididae |
| Size | 20-30mm | 35-55 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | North America | North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Rainbow Grasshopper
A small short-winged grasshopper brightly patterned in red, orange, blue, and black. Despite its vivid warning colors, it is not actually toxic. It is slow-moving and easy to observe.
Did You Know?
Its striking rainbow coloring is a bluff; it has no toxins but mimics the appearance of genuinely poisonous insects.
Gray Bird Grasshopper
A large, strong-flying grasshopper of arid western North America. It is closely related to the desert locust but does not form true swarms.
Did You Know?
It can fly several kilometers in a single flight, making it one of the most mobile grasshoppers in North America.