Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T11:49:42.575Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF RANGELAND GRASSHOPPERS (ACRIDIDAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN ALBERTA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

J. M. Hardman  and
S. Smoliak
J. M. Hardman
Affiliation:
Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 4B1
S. Smoliak
Affiliation:
Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 4B1
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Twenty-six species of grasshoppers were collected from 50 sweep-net samples taken annually in mid-August over the period 1928–1944 on mixed prairie at Manyberries, Alta. Three species, Melanoplus infantilis Scudder, Melanoplus sanguinipes (Fabr.), and Melanoplus packardii Scudder, comprised 79% of the 3041 specimens collected. Published data on the phenologies of the species, their feeding preferences, the forage value of their diets, their habitat preferences, and cases of damage to rangeland were used to assess the potential for economic damage of 17 of the more abundant species. Only two of these species, Melanoplus femur-rubrum femur-rubrum (De Geer) and Melanoplus dawsoni (Scudder), could be regarded as innocuous. The others have the potential to cause economic damage should they become numerous. An additional species, Aerochoreutes carlinianus carlinianus (Thomas), was added to the potentially harmful list because of its reported feeding preferences.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 112 , Issue 3 , 01 March 1980 , pp. 277 - 284
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, N. L. 1964. Some relationships between grasshoppers and vegetation. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 57: 736–742.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anderson, N. L. and Wright, J. C.. 1952. Grasshopper investigations on Montana rangelands. Tech. Bull. Mont. St. Coll. agric. Exp. Stn 486. 46 pp.Google Scholar
Bailey, C. G. and Riegert, P. W.. 1971. Food preferences of the dusky grasshopper, Encoptolophus sordidus costalis (Scudder) (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Can. J. Zool. 49: 1271–1274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beirne, B. P. 1972. Pest insects of annual crop plants in Canada. IV. Hemiptera-Homoptera. V. Orthoptera. VI. Other groups. Mem. ent. Soc. Can. 85. 73 pp.Google Scholar
Brooks, A. R. 1958. Acridoidea of southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (Orthoptera). Can. Ent. Suppl. 9. 92 pp.Google Scholar
Coupland, R. T. 1961. A reconsideration of grassland classification in the Northern Great Plains of North America. J. Ecol. 49: 135–167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, S. E., Tisdale, E. W., and Skoglund, N. A.. 1947. The effects of climate and grazing practices on short-grass prairie vegetation in Southern Alberta and Southwestern Saskatchewan. Agric. Can. Publ. 747. 54 pp.Google Scholar
Criddle, N. 1933. Studies in the biology of North American Acrididae development and habits. Proc. World's Grain Exhibition and Conference, Can. 2: 474–494.Google Scholar
Hewitt, G. B. 1977. Review of forage losses caused by rangeland grasshoppers. Misc. Publ. U.S. Dep. Agric. 1348. 24 pp.Google Scholar
Holmes, N. D., Smith, D. S., and Johnston, A.. 1979. Effects of grazing by cattle on the abundance of grasshoppers on fescue grassland. J. Range Mgmt 32: 310–311.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Isley, F. B. 1944. Correlation between mandibular morphology and food specificity in grasshoppers. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 37: 47–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mulkern, G. B., Pruess, K. P., Knutson, H., Hagen, A. F., Campbell, J. B., and Lambley, J. D.. 1969. Food habits and preferences of grassland grasshoppers of the north central great plains. Bull. N. Dak. agric. Exp. Stn 481. 32 pp.Google Scholar
Newton, R. C., Esselbaugh, C. O., York, G. T., and Prescott, H. W.. 1954. Seasonal development of range grasshoppers as related to control. U.S. Dep. Agric., Bur. Ent. PI. Quarant., Publ. E-873. 18 pp.Google Scholar
Parker, J. R., Newton, R. C., and Shotwell, R. L.. 1955. Observations on mass flights and other activities of the migratory grasshopper. Tech. Bull. U.S. Dep. Agric. 1109. 46 pp.Google Scholar
Putnam, L. G. 1962. Experiments with some native and introduced plants as foods for Camnula pellucida (Scudd.) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Western Canada. Can. J. Pl. Sci. 42: 589–595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riegert, P. W. 1968. A history of grasshopper abundance surveys and forecasts of outbreaks in Saskatchewan. Mem. ent. Soc. Can. 52. 99 pp.Google Scholar
Smoliak, S. 1965. A comparison of ungrazed and lightly grazed Stipa-Bouteloua prairie in Southeastern Alberta. Can. J. Pl. Sci. 45: 270–275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smoliak, S., Wroe, R. A., and Johnston, A.. 1976. Alberta range plants and their classification. Alta. Agric., Agdex 134/06.Google Scholar
Southwood, T. R. E. 1966. Ecological Methods. Methuen, London. 391 pp.Google Scholar
Ueckert, D. N., Hansen, R. M., and Terwilliger, C.. 1972. Influence of plant frequency and certain morphological variations on diets of rangeland grasshoppers. J. Range Mgmt 25: 61–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar