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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. Identifying wingless and winged species

Sidebar first - Pests diseases weeds

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

Identifying wingless and winged species

​​As in all insects, the development of juvenile locusts occurs in discrete stages called instars. Juvenile locusts are called nymphs or hoppers. Locusts exhibit what is termed partial metamorphosis, where the juvenile stages resemble the adults (see Lifecycle of a locust). Insects such as butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, ants and flies exhibit complete metamorphosis, where the juvenile stages (larvae) bear no resemblance to the adults.

In grasshopper and locust nymphs, the developing wings are referred to as wingbuds and are visible on the second and third segments of the thorax - called the mesothorax (middle) and metathorax, respectively. These segments are behind the pronotum. The transformation of the wingbuds into functional wings for flight is only complete when a hopper reaches adulthood. The forewings arise from the mesothorax and the hind wings (the flying wings) arise from the metathorax.

In some species of grasshoppers the adults possess wings that resemble the wingbuds of hoppers, and are generally incapable of flight. Two such species of grasshopper include the Stripe-winged meadow grasshopper and the  Wingless grasshopper: Phaulacridium vittatum.  In some cases this can create difficulties in the identification of species and of life stage. 

The pattern of veins on the wing bud can be used to distinguish adults of wingless species from nymphs of fully winged locust species. The pattern of wing venation of wingless (or brachypterous) grasshoppers is either parallel or net-like as shown below.

 wing of an adult brachypterous grasshopper
Wing of an adult brachypterous grasshopper
Brachyexarna lobipennis. wing 4-5 mm in length

The pattern of wingbud venation in nymphs of fully winged (or macropterous) locusts and grasshoppers is roughly fan-shaped with the veins radiating out from along the top and base of the wingbud as shown below.

wingbud of a fifth instar Australian plague locust
Wingbud of a fifth-instar Australian plague locust
Chortoicetes terminifera nymph. wing 4-5 mm in length


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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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