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Department of Agriculture

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  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Pests, diseases and weeds
  4. Locusts
  5. Australian locusts
  6. Locust and grasshopper identification guide
  7. Description of adults
  8. 9. Giant or Hedge grasshopper: Valanga irregularis

Sidebar first - Pests diseases weeds

  • Description of adults
    • 1. Australian Plague Locust: Chortoicetes terminifera
    • 2. Spur-throated locust: Austracris guttulosa
    • 3. Migratory locust: Locusta migratoria
    • 4. Small plague grasshopper: Austroicetes cruciata
    • 5. Other Austroicetes species
    • 6. Eastern plague grasshopper: Oedaleus australis
    • 7. Yellow winged locust: Gastrimargus musicus
    • 8. Bermius brachycelus and other Bermius species
    • 9. Giant or Hedge grasshopper: Valanga irregularis
    • 10. Heteropternis obscurella
    • 11. Peakesia hospita and other species
    • 12. Urnisa guttulosa
    • 13. Aiolopus thalassinus
    • 14. Caledia captiva
    • 15. Wingless grasshopper: Phaulacridium vittatum

9. Giant or Hedge grasshopper: Valanga irregularis

​Adult description 9 of 15

Graphic: photo of male and female Valanga - very large species. Graphic: photo of hind leg of an adult Valanga showing distinctive orange to red tibial spines with black tips.

Size: Very large - Australia's biggest grasshopper. Females 60 to 75 mm, males 45 to 55 mm.

Adult Description: Colour creamy brown to grey with mottling often expressed as groups of small dark spots. In profile top of head and wings level, thorax with slight ridge along the top centre. Throat peg present. Wing covers mottled to spotty and the hind wings smoky grey. Rear tibia same colour as the rest of the leg but tibial spines are orange to red with black tips.

Confusion with Australian plague locust: Even at a distance they are much larger than plague locusts.

Confusion with Austracris: At first impression similar in size, shape and colour. Also has a throat peg (compare photos).

Unique features: Valanga is very large and have rear tibia spines that are orange to red with black tips, as opposed to white with black tips in Austracris guttulosa. This in combination with a mottled body without a lighter stripe along the top of the body, two dark marks on the outside of the femur and smoky grey hind wings.

Further information on this species: Description of nymph

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Page last updated: 04 November 2019

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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