Authors
Jayma L. Martin Kessing, Educational Specialist
Ronald F.L. Mau, Extension Entomologist
Department of Entomology
Honolulu, Hawaii
Updated by: J.M. Diez April 2007
Hosts
The pinkwinged grasshopper attacks a wide variety of cultivated plants including broccoli, celery, Chinese and other cabbages, garden beans, green beans, head cabbage, onions, pineapple, potato, spinach, and tomato, as well as many other weeds and garden plants. This grasshopper is not a grass feeder.
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Distribution
This pest is known to the Pacific and Asia regions in countries such as Australia, China, Japan and New Guinea. It is an immigrant species to Hawaii first reported in 1900 and is now present on all major Hawaiian islands.
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Damage
Grasshoppers are voracious insects that feed on foliage, buds, and tender stems. If the feeding is extensive enough, the produce may be unmarketeable. Defoliation occurs infrequently.
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Biology
The complete life cycle from egg to adult takes about 5 months.
EGGS
Eggs are 1/25 x 1/6 inch in size, cylindrical with rounded ends, a finely reticulated pattern and a dull brownish-yellow color (Swezey, 1907). They are laid in the soil in cylindrical masses held together by a yellowish brown, dried frothy material that measures about 1/6 x 1/2 inch. Each mass contains 27-38 dull yellowish eggs. Eggs hatch in 47-49 days (Zimmerman, 1948).
NYMPHS
The immature pinkwinged grasshoppers are similar in appearance to the adult. The different color forms appear during the second nymphal stage. Males have five molts or stages and the females' six. Each stage lasts about 10-20 days in Hawaii depending on temperature.
The first stage nymphs are green, dotted and marked with white, and their legs are gray-spotted. All subsequent stages are green or gray (depending on form) with no spotting Swezey, 1907).
ADULTS
The body of this pest is similar to that of other grasshoppers; however, the head and first few thoracic segments are very streamlined and curved slightly upward. The edges of the "face" and outer edge of the jumping legs are trimmed with a pinkish white stripe. Antennae are relatively short and are about the length of the insects face. The tips of the wings, when folded back at rest, have a pink tint. This pest is dimorphic in color having a gray form and a bright green body form. Both forms are found equally in both sexes although there may be some differences locally (Swezey, 1907). See Bei-Bienko & Mischenko (1963) for a detailed description.
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Management
NON-CHEMICAL CONTROL
Few natural enemies are known for this pest. Birds such as the English sparrow and the Brazilian cardinal feed on the pinkwinged grasshopper.
CHEMICAL CONTROL
This pest is easily controlled with organophosphate and carbamate insecticides.
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References
Bei-Bienko, G. Y. and L. L. Mischenko. 1963. 66. Genus Atractomorpha (Suass.) pp. 292. In: Locusts and Grasshoppers of the U.S.S.R. and Adjacent Countries. Part I. Israel Program for Scientific Translations: Jerusalem. 400 pages.
Swezey, O. H. 1907. Life History and Notes on the Pink-winged Tryxalid (Atractomorpha crenaticeps Blanchard). Proc. Hawaiian. Ent. Soc. : 106-107.
Zimmerman, E. C. 1948. Atractomorpha ambiqua Bolivar. pp. 104. In: Insects of Hawaii. A Manual of the Insects of the Hawaiian Islands, including Enumeration of the Species and Notes on Their Origin, Distribution, Hosts, Parasites, etc. Volume 2: Apterygota to Thysanoptera. University of Hawaii Press., Honolulu. 475 pages.
MAR/1992.
A-SINENS
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