Red-Legged Grasshopper

Red-Legged Grasshopper

Melanoplus femurrubrum

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Boston

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%

242 Verified sightings at Boston
5 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Red-Legged Grasshopper

Melanoplus femurrubrum, the red-legged grasshopper, is a species of grasshopper belonging to the genus Melanoplus. It is one of the most common grasshoppers found in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. This grasshopper is frequently used as a model organism in scientific studies, due to their abundance throughout North America and behavioral response to changes in climate.

Melanoplus femurrubrum is a medium-sized grasshopper, in which males can range in length from 1.7 cm (0.67 in) – 2.4 cm (0.94 in), whereas females can range from 1.8 cm (0.71 in) – 3.0 cm (1.2 in) long. This grasshopper has a reddish-brown back, a greenish-yellow belly, and red hind tibiae, hence its specific name femurrubrum (femur = thigh, rubrum = red). Wings of M. femurrubrum typically extend beyond the tip of the abdomen. Males have an enlarged abdomen, with a U-shaped sub-genital plate.

Melanoplus femurrubrum can be found in a variety of habitats found throughout most of North America, but prefer grasslands and areas of thick vegetation. They are commonly found in disturbed habitats and old fields. Melanoplus femurrubrum, like other Orthoptera, undergo... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
4 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Baltimore 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Detroit 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
8 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 New York City 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Red-Legged Grasshopper in Boston?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red-Legged Grasshopper sighting in Boston on a given day, based on 242 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 67th most-seen of the 1200 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Red-Legged Grasshopper in Boston?

September to November

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Red-Legged Grasshopper in Boston on a given day, against under 5% in December to July, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Red-Legged Grasshopper?

Between 2 and 5 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red-Legged Grasshopper sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Boston the best place to see a Red-Legged Grasshopper?

Yes

Of the 16 cities where we can rate Red-Legged Grasshopper sightings, Boston has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (United States, about 10%) and Montreal (Canada, about 10%).

Where does the Red-Legged Grasshopper sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Red-Legged Grasshopper is recorded against all the insects logged in Boston (242 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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