INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL INSECTS OF CALIFORNIA. 



33 



of the species are vegetable feeders and while more or less destructive 

 are not so much so as the short-horned grasshoppers (Acridiidce). 



The control of the members of this family is practically never 

 attempted, but would be the same as for the short-horned grass- 

 hoppers. 



THE LONG-LEGGED GRASSHOPPER 



Olinopleura melanopleura (Scu elder) 21 



( Steiroxys melanopleura Seudder) 



(Fig. 28) 



Description. — The insect is one of the nearly wingless long-horned 

 grasshoppers, the wings being reduced to mere pads on the back. The 

 general color is light yellowish-brown with dark brown variations. The 

 abdomen is slightly darkened on the sides and the outer surfaces of the 

 hind femora are also dark. The lower portions of the pronotum are 

 bright yellow and the legs are very long, the hind femora being over 

 three times as long as the pronotum. The females are easily recognized 

 by the straight ovipositor, which is abruptly pointed at the apex and is 

 not as long as the posterior femora. The full-grown forms are from 

 1 j to 1^ inches long, exclusive of the ovipositor. 



28. 



-The long-legged grasshopper, Clinopleura melanopleura Scudd. 

 twice. (After Hunter, Cal. Agrcl. Exp. Sta.) 



Enlarged 



Life History. — The life history of this species is not well known, 

 but is probably as follows : The females deposit their eggs in the late 

 fall in or among various kinds of vegetation. The young, light-colored 

 individuals hatch in the spring and begin feeding in the grassy fields 

 and woodlands immediately after emergence and continue numerous 



"Clinopleura melanopleura var. infuscata Caudell is smaller and darker than the 

 above species and somewhat resembles C. flavomarginata Scudd., but is smaller and 

 has the lateral lobes of the pronotum more distinctly margined and yellow posteriorly. 



Clinopleura flavomarginata Seudder is dark brick-red and yellowish and closely 

 resembles C. melanopleura Scudd. 



Clinopleura minuta Caudell is also a dark species, but is smaller than any of the 

 others. As in the case of the others it occurs in the southern and central parts of 

 the State. 



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