Bug FAQRufous Grasshopper
Gomphocerippus rufus · Order: Orthoptera · Family: Acrididae
The Rufous Grasshopper is a fairly large, short-horned grasshopper about 14 to 22 mm long, with a broad brown body and clubbed antennae that end in a pale tip. Found across most of Europe, the eastern Palearctic, and the Near East, it feeds on grasses and other herbaceous plants, laying eggs in semi-arid soil in autumn and winter; the nymphs emerge in late May and adults appear by late July.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is a medium-sized, broad, brown grasshopper with short horns and clubbed antennae that have a conspicuous white or pale tip.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure about 14 to 22 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
You can find it from late July through mid-December.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Researchers have identified its diet by analyzing DNA from its feces.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Females lay about five eggs per packet in semi-arid soil near grass roots during autumn and winter. Nymphs hatch around late May, and adults emerge beginning in late July.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are present from late July through mid-December.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species occurs in most of Europe, the eastern Palearctic realm, and the Near East.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I expect to see Rufous Grasshoppers?
Adults are active from late July until mid-December.
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/Rufous_grasshopper
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.