Bug FAQNorthern Grass Pyrgomorph
Atractomorpha similis · Order: Orthoptera · Family: Pyrgomorphidae
Source: Wikipedia
The northern grass pyrgomorph is about 4 cm long and has a compact body that tapers at the head and abdomen, using camouflage to hide. It lives in moist garden areas with standing water and is common in northern and eastern coastal Australia, where it feeds on garden leaves and is regarded as a pest.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Its body is compact and narrows toward the head and abdomen. It relies on camouflage and rarely tries to flee when threatened.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults average about 40 mm (1.6 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Because it eats garden leaves, it is regarded as a pest in Australian homes and gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in well-watered places such as gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on the leaves of garden plants, which is why it is considered a pest.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is a tropical and temperate species native to northern and eastern Australia, especially coastal areas, but can occur inland where humidity is sufficient.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is the most common of three Australian Atractomorpha species; A. australis prefers cooler areas and A. hypoestes is limited to the Arnhem Land escarpment.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Hawaii.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
What do they look like?
They are about 4 cm long, have a compact body that tapers at the head and abdomen, and blend into vegetation with camouflage.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are they found?
They occur in moist garden sites with standing water, mainly in northern and eastern coastal Australia.
Source: Wikipedia
Do they damage plants?
Yes, they feed on garden leaves and are considered a pest for garden plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pyrgomorphidae)
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Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atractomorpha_similis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.