Grasshopper Identification

After posting about the plagues of grasshoppers that we face during the summer here in Texas, I thought it might be fun to educate you a bit on the different types of grasshoppers that are native to the area we live in.

As you can imagine, telling the different types of grasshoppers apart can be a bit tricky. One needs a good eye, a quick hand, and sometimes a magnifying glass.

I will start with the basic yellow grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous). It is not by any means on the endangered species list. They are found mainly on the ground, in my garden, on my Jeep’s grille, and anywhere else there is something green to eat. They don’t make particularly good pets as they tend to spit tobacco juice and use profane cursing if you listen closely.



We will now move on to some of the close relatives of the yellow grasshopper. While they may look very similar, I will point out slight differences so that you may easily tell them apart and impress all of your friends!


First up is the yellow cowboy grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous hickithus). Some physical attributes that you should look for in this species is the felt hat in winter and the straw hat in summer, as well as a small six-shooter pistol and a piece of straw in its mouth. Here is a picture of the grasshopper to help with your identification:

You may successfully lure the yellow cowboy grasshopper with one of its favorite lady grasshoppers, the saloon girl yellow grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous burlesque). Pictured below, this grasshopper is often spotted in groups of 4 or 5 in shadier areas in your yard. They can be spotted easily as they are not shy about being seen in public places and can often be spotted practicing their can-can. If you catch one of these, it is best to wash your hands as soon as possible after handling.

The next grasshopper we will look at is a long-time rival of the yellow cowboy grasshopper. The yellow Indian grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous cherokee) is a very rare grasshopper to see anymore. They are considered semi-nomadic and their favorite plants include maize, squash, and pumpkins. They have been all but wiped out by the yellow cowboy grasshopper.

A more modern yellow grasshopper is now emerging and, in my opinion, is one of the coolest ones out there. The yellow nerd grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous intelligentest) is notable not for superior strength, but for a brilliant mind. It has learned to work smarter and not harder. If found they will probably have on broken glasses and an awesome calculator. See picture below:

Moving on to yellow grasshoppers that have recently been introduced into the United States, we come the the yellow Ninja grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous unagi). While most grasshoppers seem to be ninja-like in their jumping and clining abilities, the Ninja grasshopper seems to have honed these abilities with incredible self-control. These grasshoppers are not to be messed with. The physical attributes of the yellow Ninja grasshopper include being dressed in black except for their eyes and a pair of nunchucks.

Our next grasshopper is the yellow nurse grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous medicicous). Its most notable attribute is its desire to help the other grasshoppers in time of need. It can be found anywhere people have put out insecticide, trying to save as many of its brethern as possible. The yellow nurse grasshopper, while wanting to be able to help those in need, is actually not at all equipped for the job, and to this day an instance of a yellow nurse grasshopper actually helping another grasshopper has never been recorded. The reason for this is believed to be the lack of the grasshopper having an opposable thumb.

Our next yellow grasshopper is the yellow pilot grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous not-a-pilotous). These grasshoppers are not actually pilots at all; they simply act like they are to try to impress the females of their species. They are generally thought of as slimy and completely untrustworthy. They can be identified best by smell as the yellow pilot grasshopper is never without cigar or scotch and can easily be followed by the trail of broken hearts they leave behind them.

The last yellow grasshopper we will look at is a favorite of a lot of people- the yellow pirate grasshopper (grasshopperis yelliferous aye matey-ith). Known for its smooth talking ways with women, this grasshopper has stolen much of the attention of the yellow saloon girl grasshoppers away from the cowboys. It is thought that this breed of grasshopper will soon be extinct; however it is certain that it will live on in legends forever. Always found close to water and never staying in the same area for long, the yellow pirate grasshopper can be identified by a trail of empty bottles of rum and squawking parrots.

I hope you have enjoyed this look into the common yellow grasshopper.

Happy hunting,

Michelle