Band-winged Grasshopper – Wadi Grosbeak

Whilst in Wadi Grosbeak near to Bani Saad in the Taif area recently I saw a number of small well camouflaged grasshoppers that could have been a type of Band-winged Grasshopper Sphingonotus savignyi classified under the family Acrididae. They are sometimes elevated to full family status as Oedipodidaeand inhabit primarily weedy fields containing little water. These species are colourful, 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 have seen these grasshoppers from just north of Abha through the area where I photographed the grasshopper below to Wadi Thee Ghazal north of Taif.

Grasshopper – Abha area

Whilst in the Abha area recently I saw a number of small well camouflaged grasshoppers that could have been a type of Band-winged Grasshopper Sphingonotus savignyi classified under the family Acrididae. They are sometimes elevated to full family status as Oedipodidaeand inhabit primarily weedy fields containing little water. These species are colourful, 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. 

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.