01 November 2015

Band-winged Grasshopper sp – Taif Euphorbia Forest

The below photograph was taken at the Taif Euphorbia Forest and may be Sphingonotus savignyi ss. This grasshopper is a member of Band-winged Grasshoppers a group of insects classified under the family Acrididae. They are sometimes elevated to full family status as Oedipodidae and inhabit primarily weedy fields containing little water. These species are colorful, usually with hindwings that are yellow or red and edged with black. Others have black hindwings with pale edges.This particular grasshopper was quite small and coloured to match the rock/soil type it was present amongst. I am extremely grateful to Mansur Al Fahad for help with the identification of this grasshopper.
Band-winged Grasshopper