An incredible amount of grasshopper species live in Florida!

Trying to list them all would be impossible. 🙂

So below, you will find the most common and abundant insects found in the order Orthoptera. This includes not only grasshoppers but also crickets and katydids.

8 Grasshoppers in Florida:

#1. Obscure Bird Grasshopper

Schistocerca obscura

Adults are 1.4-2.5 in (36-65 mm) long.
They are grass-green to yellow-green with a bright yellow stripe on the back.
The wings are long, slender, and brownish-green in color.

Look for Obscure Bird Grasshoppers in fields and open forests in Florida.

This insect is active from August to October, so look for them as summer turns to fall and the weather turns cool. Although usually smaller in size, this grasshopper shares many similarities with the American Bird Grasshopper, which is a close relative. They spend their time on the ground, eating grasses and young shoots on other plants.

#2. American Bird Grasshopper

Schistocerca americana

Adults are 1.8-2.2 in (4.5-5.5 cm) long.
They are light brown or tan with a mottled pattern of black spots. Some individuals look like they have a cheetah print!
Their long and slender wings and legs give them a delicate appearance.

American Bird Grasshoppers are native to Florida.

However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t sometimes considered pests. They can damage crops extensively if they have a particularly large population boom. In particular, American Bird Grasshoppers are known to cause severe damage to citrus groves in Florida.

You may also know this insect as a locust, although technically, locusts are a different family of grasshoppers. Due to their occasional population booms and tendency to swarm, American Bird Grasshoppers have earned the title among farmers and backyard gardeners.

#3. Slender Meadow Katydid

Conocephalus fasciatus

Adults are 0.7-1 in (18–26 mm) long.
Their coloring is a combination of brown and green.
These insects have a slender body and long wings.

You can find Slender Meadow Katydids in various habitats in Florida.

These insects prefer grassy or weedy land in pastures, open woods, and backyards. Unlike many of their relatives, this species has a soft call. It sounds like a series of clicks and buzzing, and each call lasts 1-20 seconds.

Slender Meadow Katydids eat grass and grass seeds, so anywhere with overgrown grasses is a good place to start searching for these bugs.

#4. Tropical House Cricket

Gryllodes sigillatus

Adults are 0.51–0.71 in (13–18 mm) long.
They are light brown or yellowish-tan with two thick black bands around the body.
Their antennae and legs are long, and their wings are short.

Tropical House Crickets might be the most recognizable species of cricket. These insects are often sold as live pet food for reptiles, amphibians, and birds. They are easy to care for and nutritious for most insect-eating pets.

You’re likely to find these crickets in warm, humid, tropical climates in the wild. They don’t cause agricultural damage, so they aren’t considered a pest, although the males’ loud singing can be disruptive at night!

#5. Tawny Mole Cricket

Neoscapteriscus vicinus

Adults are 0.9-1.2 in (24-33 mm) long.
Their coloring is mottled brown and tan with reddish joints.
These crickets have a coating of fine hairs across their bodies.

Tawny Mole Crickets are not native to Florida.

They were introduced in cargo shipments from South America and are considered a pest here. They primarily damage turf and grass, making them particularly troublesome on golf courses. However, they also damage crops, including sugarcane, vegetable gardens, and ornamental plants.

You’re not likely to spot a Tawny Mole Cricket above ground because this is a burrowing species. In fact, a portion of the damage they do to crops is from their burrowing activity in addition to eating the plants’ roots.

#6. Short-winged Green Grasshopper

Dichromorpha viridis

Adults are 0.5-1 in (14-30 mm) long.
They are green above with brown or tan heads and undersides, although some individuals are brown all over.
These grasshoppers have the typical shape you may think of, with a slender body, very long hind legs, and an angular face.

These grasshoppers are active during summer and fall in Florida.

Short-winged green grasshoppers prefer areas with short grass, so you’ll likely see them in your backyard! They eat new grass shoots and seed heads.

If you find an all-brown specimen, it’s likely a female. This is especially true if it’s larger than average, as females are usually much bigger than males.

#7. Broad-tipped Conehead

Neoconocephalus triops

Adults are 1.7-2.6 in (43-67 mm) long.
Their coloring is variable; some are bright green, while others are tan with black markings.
They have long, slender bodies and wings with a distinctive cone-shaped head.

These katydids are easily recognizable because of their long, cone-shaped heads. The head comes to a point between the eyes, which are small, beady, and close together.

Broad-tipped Coneheads are most active in the fall, and you can hear their call from low brush or high above in the tree canopy. It sounds like a low, humming trill in about 1-second intervals.

#8. Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

Romalea microptera

Also called Florida Lubber, Florida Lubber Grasshopper, or Georgia Thumper.

Adults range from 1.5 to 4 inches (3.8 to 10 cm) long.
The coloration may vary, but they are usually bright yellow with black and orange accents.
Their forewings extend about 2/3 of the way down their abdomen, and they have short hindwings.

The Eastern Lubber is one of the largest grasshoppers in Florida!

But their looks can be deceiving. Despite having wings, they are incapable of flight, and they don’t hop very well despite having robust legs. 🙂

These heavy-bodied grasshoppers get around mostly by walking. In fact, their name, “lubber,” most likely comes from an Old English word, “lobre,” which means lazy or clumsy.

However, they do deserve a little credit. Despite being bulky, Eastern Lubbers are skillful climbers and make their way up into plants and trees to feed on foliage.

Occasionally, local populations boom and can cause severe damage to gardens, crops, and citrus groves. Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers have an appetite to match their impressive size.

Did you like learning about the grasshoppers that live in Florida?

Check out these ID guides that focus specifically on different insects and arachnids in Florida.

Do you need additional help identifying grasshoppers in Florida?

If so, check out this excellent ID guide!

National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects of North America

8 Grasshopper Species found in Florida!