Template:Featured species/Migratory grasshopper (Melanoplus sanguinipes)

Photo by Peter Chen

The migratory grasshopper (Melanoplus sanguinipes), is a spur-throated grasshopper widespread across North America, particularly in central and western regions. It is thought to be a close relative of the extinct Rocky Mountain locust (Melanoplus spretus) that swarmed the Great Plains in the 1800's. M. sanguinipes is a medium to large grasshoppers and is considered one of the most abundant and destructive pests to rangeland and agriculture in the North American West. It is a generalist feeder and thrives in degraded or weedy landscapes. They are known for their ability to migrate in swarms, especially during outbreaks. The economic impact of their outbreaks along with other species leads to the treatment of millions of acres of range and cropland each year. Click here for more details.