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Crickets and Katydids

Eumastacidae
Morabinae
Green-legged Matchstick
Green-body Matchstick
Brown-striped Matchstick
Mottled Matchstick 
 
Pyrgomorphidae
Common Pyrgomorph
Musgrave's Psednura
Green Grass Pyrgimorph
 
Acrididae
Oxyinae
Diving Grasshopper
Creek Grasshopper
Garden Bermius
Common Gesonula
Rice Grasshopper
Beautiful Methiola
Little Black-knees
Catantopinae 
Catantopini
Peakesiina 
Bicoloured Cedarinia
Eastern Inland Cedarinia
Peakesia Grasshopper
Apotropina & Perbelliina 
Epallia Grasshopper
Cooloola Shortwing
Wingless Grasshopper 
Goniaeina 
Mimetic Gumleaf Ghopper
Black-kneed Gum leaf Ghopr
Slender Gumleaf Ghopper
Gumleaf Grasshopper
Eumecistina&Coryphistina 
Common Pardillana
Common Adreppus
Pale Stem Grasshopper  
Bark-mimicking Ghopper I
Bark-mimicking Ghopper II
Macrotona & Maclystriina
Handsome Macrotona
False Perloccia
Green-legs Grasshopper 
Cyrtacanthacridini 
Spur-throated Locust
Giant Grasshopper
Acridinae
Froggatt's Buzzer
Golden Bandwing
Giant Green Slantface
Caledia
Long-legged Bandwing 
Yellow-winged Locust 
 
Tetrigidae
Creek Pygmy Grasshopper
Forest Pygmy Grasshopper 
 
Unidentified Ghoppers 
  

                                               

Field Guide to Grasshoppers

of Brisbane area, South East Queensland, Australia

This is the Field Guide of Grasshoppers in the Brisbane area, South East Queensland, Australia. The pictures below listed the most common Grasshoppers, Crickets and Katydids (Order Orthoptera) that we found in the area. Click on each picture and it will link you to the detail page..

Classification :

In the Orthoptera Order, the are two suborder: the Suborder Ensifera and Suborder Caelifera, each of which contains a numbers of families. 
 
Suborder Ensifera
Members in this Suborder have very long antennae, some may be several times of their body length. The auditory organs located on the fore legs. Their stridulation are produced by the mechanisms on the base of their forewings. The females usually have long ovipositors extended from the end of their abdomen.

Family GRYLLACRIDIDAE - Raspy Crickets
Members in this family, including nymphs and females, will produce a raspy sound when disturbed. They are active at night. They usually spend the daytime in burrows or in leaves shelters.
 
Name : Striped Raspy Cricket - Paragryllacris combusta, female (male look about the same)
 Size: body length 50mm 
 Habitat: gardens and backyards
 Habits : active at night, nests in holes on trees and between the leaf-sheaths of plants
 We found them at : our backyard, Eight Mile Plains
 Identification : dark brown colour, long antennae, face patterns
 
Name : Striped Raspy Cricket - Paragryllacris combusta, nymph
 Size: body length 20 - 40mm 
 Habitat: gardens and backyards
 Habits : active at night, nests in holes on trees and between the leaf-sheaths of plants
 We found them at : our backyard, Eight Mile Plains
 Identification : dark brown colour, long antennae, face patterns, nymph wingless
 
 Name : Spider Face Leaf-rolling Cricket - Nunkeria sp.
 Size: body length 50mm 
 Habitat: bush, on tree
 Habits : active at night, nests between the leaves
 We found them at : bush, Wishart
 Identification : Reddish brown to orange brown, long antennae, spider's face patterns
 

Family TETTIGONIIDAE - Katydids
In this family, nymphs are usually resemble ants or bugs. Females have sword-like ovipositor and lay eggs by inserted them into leaf. Males produce love songs by file on the left wing and scraper on the right. Most of them are tree foliage feeders. A few of them are predaceous species.
 
Name : Blackish Meadow Katydid - Conocephalus semivittatus, male
 Size: body length 15mm-20mm
 Habitat: bushland near waters
 Habits : active after evening, hide among tall grasses
 We found them at : Eight Mile Plains and Karawatha Forest
 Identification : pale brown and green in colours, long antennae, male is winged
 
Name : Blackish Meadow Katydid - Conocephalus semivittatus, female
 Size: body length 20mm
 Habitat: bushland near waters
 Habits : active after evening, hide among tall grasses
 We found them at : Eight Mile Plains and Karawatha Forest
 Identification : pale brown and green in colours, long antennae, female is wingless
 
 Name : Red Meadow Katydid - ? Conocephalus sp.
 Size: body length 20mm
 Habitat: not known
 Habits : found wondering on tall grasses
 We found them at : once in Wishart bushland
 Identification : reddish brown, long antennae
 
 Name : Spine-headed Katydid - Nicsara sp. 
 Size: body length 40mm 
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : nests in leaves sheaths
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest
 Identification : spine-headed, brown to dark brown, 
 
 Name : Diurnal Predatory Katydid, Swayer - Austrophlugis malidupa
 Size: body length 25mm
 Habitat: Wet bushland
 Habits : predatory, hunting on plants
 We found them at Yugarapul Park
 Identification : green in colour with spiny legs
 
 Name : False Leaf Katydid - Mastigaphoides sp.
 Size: body length 60mm
 Habitat: Rainforest
 Habits : Usually stay on tree top, active at night
 We found them at : Lamington National Park
 Identification
 
 Name : Mountain Katydid, Mountain Grasshopper - Acripeza reticulata, female
 Size: body length 30mm
 Habitat: Rainforest and wet Eucalypt forest
 Habits : slow moving, display the abdomen when disturbed
 We found them at : Yugarapul Park, Karawatha Forest
 Identification : red and blue colour-banded abdomen
 
 Name : Mountain Katydid, Mountain Grasshopper - Acripeza reticulata, nymph
 Size: body length 20mm
 Habitat: Rainforest and wet Eucalypt forest
 Habits : slow moving, display the abdomen when disturbed
 We found them at : Yugarapul Park, Karawatha Forest
 Identification : orange colour-banded abdomen
 
 Name : 32-Spotted Katydid,  Mottled Katydid - Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata
 Size: body length 65mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest, park with large gum trees
 Habits : live on top of gum trees and feed on gum leaves
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest, once in our backyard
 Identification : spots on wings, strong spiny hind legs
 
 Name : 32-Spotted Katydid,  Mottled Katydid - Ephippitytha trigintiduoguttata, nymph
 Size: body length 10-60mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest, park with large trees
 Habits : live on top of gum trees and feed on gum leaves
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest
 Identification : brown and green patterned body, strong spiny hind legs
 
 Name : Gum Leaf Katydid - Torbia viridissima
 Size: body length 60mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest, park with large gum trees
 Habits : Rest among green gum leaves, active at night
 We found them at : common in Eucalypt forest in Brisbane
 Identification : resemble gum leaf
 
 Name : Gum Leaf Katydid - Torbia viridissima, nymph
 Size: body length 10-50mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest, park with large gum trees
 Habits : found on gum tree trunks, young leaves, mimic ants when small
 We found them at : common in Eucalypt forest in Brisbane
 Identification : mimic ants when small, turn into brown with green spots, non-spiny legs
 
Name : Small Gum Leaf Katydid - ? Caedicia sp.
 Size: body length 35mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : Rest among green leaves on trees
 We found them at : Eucalypt forest in Brisbane
 Identification : slander body, green with brown on thorax
 
 Name : Small Grassland Katydid - Polichne sp.
 Size: head to wings tip length 30mm
 Habitat: grasslands in dry Eucalypt forest
 Habits : jump and fly to a few meter away when disturbed
 We found them at : Mt Cotton, Alexandra Hill
 Identification : with green and brown forms, slander body
 
 Name : Small Grassland Katydid - Polichne sp.
 Size: head to wings tip length 30mm
 Habitat: grasslands in dry Eucalypt forest
 Habits : jump and fly to a few meter away when disturbed
 We found them at : Mt Cotton, Alexandra Hill
 Identification : with green and brown forms, slander body
 
 Name : Stout-body Katydid - ? Diastella sp.
 Size: head to wings tip length 35mm
 Habitat: Wet Eucalypt forest
 Habits : jump and fly to a meter away when disturbed
 We found them at : Ford Road Conservation Area
 Identification : Shorter wings and stout body
 
 Name : Common Garden Katydid - Caedicia simplex
 Size: length 40mm
 Habitat: gardens and backyards with dense vegetations
 Habits : slow moving, 
 We found them at : common in Brisbane gardens and parks
 Identification : abdomen with yellow and pink colours
 
 Name : Common Garden Katydid - Caedicia simplex, nymph
 Size: length 10-30mm
 Habitat: gardens and backyards with dense vegetations
 Habits : found on young shots of plants
 We found them at : common in Brisbane gardens and parks
 Identification : with green and brown forms, body with dotted lines patterns
 

Family GRYLLIDAE - True Crickets 
The True Crickets can be distinguished from others by presence of long ovipositor and long cerci in females. They are nocturnally active. They live on the ground, can be found in burrows, crack in soil or amongst leaf litter. Males produce complex love songs by rubbing wings together.
 
 Name : Slow-chirping Mottled Field Cricket - Lepidogryllus comparatus
 Size: body length 25mm
 Habitat: backyards, gardens and road sides
 Habits : male Field Cricket calling in the hole at night, heading outwards with antenna outside
 We found them at : very common in Brisbane
 Identification : dark brown in colour, calling sound
 
 Name : Silent Leaf-runner - Metioche vittaticollis
 Size: body length 10mm 
 Habitat: details not known
 Habits : active at night
 We found them at : our backyard
 Identification : wingless or different wing length with shiny dark brown body
 
 Name : Spider Cricket - Endotaria sp.
 Size: body length 20mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : hide under rotten wood, active at night
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest
 Identification : both male and female are wingless, long legs, grey in colour with dark brown patterns
 
 Name : Silent Bush Cricket - Aphonoides angustissimus
 Size: body length 30mm 
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest, rainforest
 Habits : Rest on green leaves during the day
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest
 Identification : do not have the stridulatory apparatus, 
 
 Name : Scale Cricket - Ornebius sp., female
 Size: body length 30mm
 Habitat: usually found hiding under loosen bark of gum tree
 Habits : details not known
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest, Ford Road Reserve Area
 Identification : pale brown in colour
 
 Name : Scale Cricket - Ornebius sp., male
 Size: body length 30mm
 Habitat: usually found hiding under loosen bark of gum tree
 Habits : details not known
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest, Ford Road Reserve Area
 Identification : pale brown in colour, with patterned small wings
 

Family GRYLLOTALPIDAE - Mole Crickets 
Mole Crickets have characteristic digging forelegs. Males produce songs and build burrows to amplify their love song. When dug up, they do not leap away like other burrow-inhabiting insects but dig their way back underground with powerful strokes of the forelegs. The dirt is simply forced aside.
 
 Name : Common Mole Cricket - Gryllotalpa pluvialis, female
 Size: body length 50mm
 Habitat: Gardens and backyards
 Habits : sings loudly in the wet summer night
 We found them at : very common in Brisbane
 Identification : shiny dark brown in colour, large body size, wings longer than male
 
 Name : Common Mole Cricket - Gryllotalpa pluvialis, male
 Size: body length 50mm
 Habitat: Gardens and backyards
 Habits : wandering around look for the singing male during the summer night
 We found them at : very common in Brisbane
 Identification : shiny dark brown in colour, large body size, recognize by their song
 
 Name : Dark Night Mole Cricket - Gryllotalpa monanka, male
 Size: body length 35mm
 Habitat: Gardens and backyards
 Habits : sings after dark for half an hour
 We found them at : common in Brisbane
 Identification : dull brown in colour, medium body size, recognize by their song
 

 
Suborder Caelifera 
This suborder includes the short-horned grasshoppers, grasshoppers and locust. Members in this suborder have their antennae not very long. Most species feed on grass and low bushes. The auditory organs are on the first segment of their abdomen. They produce their love song, the stridulation, by lateral part of their forewings. Females normally larger than males and with short ovipositors.
 

Family EUMASTACIDAE - Morabine Grasshoppers
Most members in this family are wingless. They are usually very elongated and narrow. They are well camouflaged and hide in the plants. 
 
 Name : Matchstick - ?sp.
 Size: body length 35mm
 Habitat: details not known
 Habits : slow moving, rest on green leaf during the day
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest, Lake Wivenhoe, Alexandra Hill
 Identification : Most members in this family are wingless, very elongated and narrow body
 

Family PYRGOMORPHIDAE - Pyrgomorphs
This family is very close related with the Family ACRIDIDAE and sometimes put under ACRIDIDAE as the subfamily. They are medium in size. Usually they hide in grasses, not quite jump or fly. Protection simply relies on their camouflage colour. 
 
 Name : Northern Grass Pyrgimorph - Atractomorpha similis or Atractomorpha australis
 Size: length 40mm and 30mm
 Habitat: low plants in gardens and backyards
 Habits : slow moving
 We found them at : very common in Brisbane
 Identification : pink colour on their hind wings and abdomen, cone head
 

Family ACRIDIDAE - Typical Grasshoppers
Members in this family usually have their wings well developed and sometimes brightly coloured. Most of them have an annual life cycle. Some species, under some conditions, will migrate in a dense swarms form, known as locusts.
 
 Name : Creek Grasshopper - Bermius odontocercus or Bermius brachycerus
 Size: body length 30mm
 Habitat: on grasses and sedges next to fresh waters
 Habits : feed on sedges during the day, jump on to water if disturbed
 We found them at : Bulimba Creek in Yugarapul Park, lagoon in Karawatha Forest
 Identification : green in colour with black strips on both sides of the body
 
 Name : Mimetic Gumleaf Grasshopper - Goniaea opomaloides
 Size: body length 40mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : usually rest on ground among dry gum leaves
 We found them at : Alexandra Hill, White Hill
 Identification : medium in size, pale brown in colour, bluish-purple hind tibiae
 
 Name : Black-kneed Gumleaf Grasshopper - Goniaea carinata
 Size: body length 40mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : rest on ground and low vegetations
 We found them at : Mt Cotton
 Identification : bright yellow-orange hind wings, longer antenna with white tips
 
 Name : Slender Gumleaf Grasshopper - Goniaea vocans
 Size: body length 60mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : rest on the ground with the dry gum tree leaves
 We found them at : Alexander Hill
 Identification : large in side, the top edge of thorax, lower and less pronounced, and has a distinct cut
 
 Name : Gumleaf Grasshopper - Goniaea australasiae
 Size: adult body length 50mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : rest on the ground or gum tree stems
 We found them at : Mt Cotton
 Identification : large in side, the top edge of thorax pronounced
 
 Name : Bicoloured Cedarinia - Cedarinia sp.
 Size: body length female 35mm, male 20mm
 Habitat: Bushland 
 Habits : rest on green leaves of low plants
 We found them at : Bushland in Macgregor near Bulimba Creek
 Identification : female is pale brown, male is darker in colour, both have very tiny wings
 
 Name : Epallia Grasshopper - Epallia exigua
 Size: body length 40mm 
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : rest on the ground 
 We found them at : Alexander Hill
 Identification : pale brown colour with flatten back
 
 Name : Short-winged Heath Grasshopper - ? Rhitzala modesta
 Size: body length 20mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : details not known
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest
 Identification : short-winged, bright orange colour on hind legs
 
 Name : Queensland White-tips - Rectitropis australis
 Size: body length 20mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : rest on ground with dry leaves
 We found them at : Mt Cotton, Karawatha Forest, Alexandra Hill
 Identification : short winged, inner hind legs black in colour, white rings near the tip of antennae
 
 Name : Common Pardillana - Pardillana limbata
 Size: body length 60mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : mostly found resting on tree trunks and stems, also found on ground
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest
 Identification : body colours from orange brown to dark brown, with large compound eyes
 
 Name : Stem Grasshopper, Common Adreppus - Adreppus fallax
 Size: body length 40mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : rest on tree trunks and stems with rough bark surface
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest, common in Brisbane bushland
 Identification : large compound eyes, relatively long antennae
 
 Name : Bark-Mimicking Grasshopper - Coryphistes ruricola
 Size: body length 40mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest
 Habits : rest on tree trunks or fallen barks on ground
 We found them at : Alexandra Hill, Karawatha Forest 
 Identification : elongated antennae in sword shape and flattened at the bases
 
 Name : Handsome Macrotona Grasshopper - Macrotona mjoebergi
 Size: body length 30mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest associated with Spinifex grass Triodia
 Habits : rest on ground
 We found them at : Alexandra Hill
 Identification : black with white strips from head to wing tip, antennae short with flattened tip
 
 Name : Green-legs Wingless Grasshopper, False Perloccia - Maclystria sp.
 Size: body length female 30mm male 15mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest 
 Habits : details not known
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest  
 Identification : three pair of green legs
 
 Name : Spur-throated Locust - Austracris proxima
 Size: body length 60mm
 Habitat: Bushland
 Habits : forms swarms and can reach plague status in Australia
 We found them at : a lagoon in Karawatha forest
 Identification
 
 Name : Giant Grasshopper, Giant Valanga - Valanga irregularis
 Size: body length 90mm, largest grasshopper in Brisbane
 Habitat: gardens and backyards
 Habits : feed on green leaves during the day
 We found them at : very common in Brisbane
 Identification : large in size, body colour vary between individual
 
 Name : Froggatt's Buzzer - Froggattina australis
 Size: body length 25mm
 Habitat: bushland
 Habits : flies with loud buzzing sound
 We found them at : common on grassland
 Identification : green grasshopper flies with loud buzzing sound
 
 Name : Golden Bandwing - Cryptobothrus chrysophorus
 Size: body length 20mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest 
 Habits : rest on dry leaves on ground, male produces a buzzing sound when flight
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest, Alexandra Hill
 Identification : abdomen and hind legs are bright orange in colour
 
 Name : Longheaded Grasshopper, Giant Green Slantface - Acrida conica
 Size: body length nymph 70mm
 Habitat: Grasslands with medium to tall blade grass
 Habits : wandering on ground among blade grass
 We found them at : common in Brisbane grassland
 Identification : green in colour with brown strips on its cone shaped head with short flat antennae
 
 Name : Caledia - Caledia captiva
 Size: body length 25mm
 Habitat: Eucalypt forest 
 Habits : make sound when in flight
 We found them at : Alexandra Hill
 Identification : variable in colour and pattern, can be in green, brown to greyish-brown
 
 Name : Yellow-winged Locust - Gastrimargus musicus
 Size: body length 30mm
 Habitat: grassland with grasses of medium height
 Habits : rest on ground with large number
 We found them at : Karawatha Forest
 Identification : when in flight, show their back-banded yellow hind wings with loud clicking noise
 

Reference:
1. Grasshopper Country - the Abundant Orthopteroid Insects of Australia, D Rentz, UNSW Press, 1996.
2. A Guide to Australian Grasshoppers and Locusts - DCF Rentz, RC Lewis, YN Su and MS Upton, 2003.

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Last updated: July 08, 2011.