Bug FAQPallid-winged Grasshopper
Trimerotropis pallidipennis · Order: Orthoptera · Family: Acrididae
They grow to about 37 mm (1.5 in) long. They live in desert regions from British Columbia down to Argentina, often hiding on pale granite in dry river beds. Adults are most active in the summer months.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults reach about 37 mm (1.5 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Populations can occasionally surge to damaging levels; six outbreaks occurred in Arizona between 1952 and 1980, with only one lasting more than a year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
They are found in desert habitats across western North America and South America.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
They are most active during the summer.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Their native range extends from British Columbia in Canada down through the United States to Argentina.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Males make crackling sounds with their wings and also produce a trilling sound by rubbing the hind femur against the forewing when disturbed or courting.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 28 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Colorado.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are pallid-winged grasshoppers most active?
They are most active during the summer months.
Source: Wikipedia
Do they make any sounds?
Males produce crackling wing sounds and a trilling sound by rubbing body parts during disturbance or courtship.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Acrididae)
Differential GrasshopperMelanoplus differentialisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Two-striped GrasshopperMelanoplus bivittatusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Carolina GrasshopperDissosteira carolinaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Common Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus
Egyptian Bird GrasshopperAnacridium aegyptium
Gray Bird GrasshopperSchistocerca nitensDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallid-winged_grasshopper
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.