Soldier Grasshopper

Soldier Grasshopper

Chromacris speciosa

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Iguaçu National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

28 Verified sightings at Iguaçu National Park From 2019 to 2026
63 In all 3 parks
November Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Soldier Grasshopper

Chromacris speciosa, also known as the soldier grasshopper, is a grasshopper belonging to the family Romaleidae. It is distributed across Central America and South America. It was first described in 1824 by Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg.

This species belongs to the family Romaleidae which belongs to the suborder Caelifera. There are a few synonyms of Chromacris speciosa including Chromacris stolli, Rhomalea stolli, Acridium xanthopterum, and Gryllus speciosa.

Both the lectotype and syntype of this species were collected in Amapá, Brazil. It has general distribution across South America and Central America. They can be found in countries such as Ecuador (Andes), Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, eastern Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina.

It prefers bush environment with vegetation principally consisting of species in the families such as Solanaceae, Myrtaceae, and Gramineae. It is a medium-size species with a generally dark green color and orange-red hind wings. Yellow strips can be seen across its body. Nymphs of this species are black and red.

Chromacris speciosa: Images... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
2 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
3 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Cochabamba 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~40%
2 Porto Alegre 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
3 Curitiba 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
4 Rosario 🇦🇷 Argentina
~20%
5 Cordoba 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%
6 Niterói 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
7 Santa Cruz de la Sierra 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~10%
8 Manaus 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
9 Fortaleza 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
10 Buenos Aires 🇦🇷 Argentina
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Soldier Grasshopper in Iguaçu National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Soldier Grasshopper sighting in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 69th most-seen of the 279 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Soldier Grasshopper in Iguaçu National Park?

November

In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Soldier Grasshopper in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to August, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Soldier Grasshopper?

Between 9 am and noon

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

Is Iguaçu National Park the best place to see a Soldier Grasshopper?

Yes

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Soldier Grasshopper sightings, Iguaçu National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Iguazú National Park (Argentina, about 10%) and Tijuca National Park (Brazil, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Soldier Grasshopper live in Iguaçu National Park?

Same family: Romaleidae

The closest relatives of the Soldier Grasshopper that you can see in Iguaçu National Park (family Romaleidae, Lubber Grasshoppers) are Staleochlora arcuata (about 20%), Prionolopha serrata (about 10%) and Xyleus discoideus (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Soldier Grasshopper sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Soldier Grasshopper is recorded against all the insects logged in Iguaçu National Park (28 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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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