Clear-winged Grasshopper--Camnula pellucida - Oregon Wild

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which is a pesticide known as Dimilin. Dimilin is a broad spectrum agent that kills many insect species (including natural enemies of grasshoppers.) Contact the refuge, to learn where best to observe refuge and area grasshoppers that survive as winged adults, and to also possibly express tepid support of their decision to do more minimal pesticide treatments--Klamath Marsh NWR, HC 63 Box 303, Chiloquin, OR 97624 541-783-3380; and/or Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Route 1, Box 74 Tulelake, California 96134 530-667-2231 Additional Background on Clear-winged Grasshoppers: Birds and other wildlife species take advantage of what nature provides that is nourishing and available to them. Besides the vast array of bird attracted by clear-winged grasshoppers, other vertebrates species including mice, shrews, gophers and badgers all eat grasshoppers and their egg pods. Coyotes, skunks, lizards, snakes, toads, bobcats and foxes also eat both nymphs and adults. Birds, especially gulls and meadowlarks, have even been attributed with stopping grasshopper hatches in other parts of the country. Many birds scratch up the egg cases, and have been credited with clearing from 5 to 150 acres of grasshopper egg pods. This is more likely to happen when a habitat area provides food and refuge for the birds. Both cattle and grasshoppers eat grass. However it is the cows that are the Klamath Marsh’s largest exotic, non-native species. While, in theory, farm and ranch areas could create habitats more attractive to birds to encourage predation on grasshoppers—they seldom do. Thus, our National Wildlife Refuges are ideally the best dependable places to provide essential habitats for all vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife species--while also providing a place for the public to experience these remarkable winged wildlife displays. There is no refuge purpose served by destroying natural, cyclic grasshopper populations. During a prior grasshopper hatch a decade ago, the Oregonian (Aug. 28, 2002) quoted a former Klamath Marsh NWR manager: “Grasshoppers also eat many weed plants and are an important food source for many animals. Walter Ford, manager of the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, said flocks of ravens, hawks, cranes, blackbirds and other marsh birds are happily feasting on the grasshoppers. ‘We don’t have the same concern that the ranchers do,’ Ford said.
‘We can tolerate higher levels of grasshoppers. But we feel to be good neighbors, we have to consider treatment options.” Distinguishing Characteristics. The adults are yellowish to brownish in color and approximately 21-32 mm (0.8 to 1.3 inches) in length. Their wings are clear but mottled with dark patches and they have two stripes beginning at the thorax and converging at the tip of the forewings. The newly hatched young, body length 4.2 to 5.5 mm, are remarkably colored black with a distinctive white band encircling the thorax. Camnula pellucida nymph and egg pod with loose eggs. University of Wyoming Habitat -- The clear-winged grasshopper prefers to lay its eggs in sod on road allowances, overgrazed pastures and dried out marshy areas. Congregation of the adults during egg laying may result in as many as 10,000 or more eggs per square meter. (Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food & Rural Revitalization) Food Supply . The clear-winged grasshopper is primarily a grass feeder that prefers cereal grains and some of the more succulent cultivated grasses. It seldom feeds on broad-leaved plants. Large pastures of native grasses are usually only infested around their margins where cultivated fields are close by. (Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food & Rural Revitalization) Best viewing times: The clear-winged grasshopper, a diurnal insect, is active during the day and inactive at night--in sheltered places protected from the cold. As the morning sun warms the habitat, the grasshoppers slowly crawl from their hiding places and seek sunny positions aggregating on bare soil, earth clods, and dried cattle dung. (University of Wyoming) In previous years clear-winged grasshoppers have been readily viewable at the Klamath Marsh NWR boundary along the Silver Lake Hwy. approximately 5 miles east of Hwy. 97. Masses of winged adults can also sometimes be viewed on the east side of the refuge at Abraham Flat, or in fields where the Military Road (to the north) crosses the refuge’s middle, western boundary. For more information see ODA grasshopper webpage, http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/IPPM/gh_ea12.shtml.
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Clear-winged Grasshopper--Camnula pellucida - Oregon Wild

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