Red-legged Grasshopper

Melanoplus femurrubrum can be found in a variety of habitats found throughout most of North America, but prefer grasslands and areas of thick vegetation. They are commonly found in disturbed habitats and old fields.

Melanoplus femurrubrum, like other Orthoptera, undergo incomplete metamorphosis. This includes going through three stages of metamorphosis: egg, nymph, and adult. Adult female M. femurrubrum deposit eggs throughout autumn in the top 2 cm of the soil, where the eggs will develop until entering winter diapause. As the soil temperature increases during spring, the eggs will finish development and first instar nymphs will dig to the surface of the soil. M. femurrubrum nymphs will molt five to seven times before its final molt, in which they will be considered adults, having fully functioning wings and sexual organs. This species of grasshopper is univoltine, meaning they have one generation per growing season; however, in their southern distribution, adults and nymphs can be found throughout the year and may have more than one generation throughout the year.