Identifying grasshopper

[Longhorn1234]

Does anybody have any idea what kind of grasshopper is this? I caught him in a nursery today!

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I mostly keep grasshoppers from the genus Schistocerca. Here is a good online grasshopper guide.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/336

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Longhorn1234]

Thanks for the link Jeremy. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to locate the grasshopper in the website. After looking up more pictures of grasshoppers online I believe that this is a Differential Grasshopper. I'm not completely sure about that, but it looks like one. I hope someone else can help me out

 

[Andee]

It looks about right, your located in Texas?

 

[Longhorn1234]

Yes, I'm in Texas. It seems like it's common to find it around here. Do you know, by any chance, if this grasshopper is safe for chameleons to eat?

 

[Andee]

They are very much safe. Will likely be a good species to raise if you can pin down their specific needs

 

[Scottsquatch]

It looks like the delicious-to-chameleon kind! LOL! Seriously though, I have no idea. I see that one or something very similar to that one all over the place in north central Minnesota. I have considered trying to learn how to breed grasshoppers for use as feeders. Thanks to that link from Jeremy, perhaps I'll be able to learn more about them and make breeding grasshoppers a reality.

 

[Longhorn1234]

My only concern with this grasshopper is that it seems like only one generation is born every year in the spring since the eggs have to go through diapause. I don't know if that would be a problem or if it would be worth it trying to breed them. I would love to have a supply year round. I don't know much about grasshoppers so if someone could enlight me that would be great haha

 

[Andee]

They do have to go into a diapause but you can often make it shorter than a year. The longest I have done with a US species is 3 months. And you can trick any live adults you have to regularly lay

 

[Longhorn1234]

3 months is not bad, definitely doable. Do you know if you can refrigerate eggs?

 

[Andee]

That's how you put them in diapause, put them in your fridge, but don't allow them to freeze so keep them in the door or something, and don't allow them to dry out, so lightly mist the sand they are buried in etc, when needed.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Thanks for the link Jeremy. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to locate the grasshopper in the website. After looking up more pictures of grasshoppers online I believe that this is a Differential Grasshopper. I'm not completely sure about that, but it looks like one. I hope someone else can help me out

They can ID Differential Grasshoppers on that site. They even have a Forums to help ID problem ID's.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Longhorn1234]

They can ID Differential Grasshoppers on that site. They even have a Forums to help ID problem ID's.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

I actually did find it after I posted here saying I couldn't find it haha. Thanks for the link by the way, it's very useful!

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I actually did find it after I posted here saying I couldn't find it haha. Thanks for the link by the way, it's very useful!

Thanks. And not a problem.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[Longhorn1234]

That's how you put them in diapause, put them in your fridge, but don't allow them to freeze so keep them in the door or something, and don't allow them to dry out, so lightly mist the sand they are buried in etc, when needed.

Well duh, how else would you put them in diapause haha. My brain works in mysterious ways some times. Do you know how long the eggs will keep in the fridge?

 

[Andee]

Most species are fine for 3 months in the fridge if they need any sort of diapause. If they need 3 months specifically of diapause they can easily go up to 6 months from my experience as long as your fridge temps aren't too low and you keep them well.