Wingless Grasshopper, Phaulacridium vittatum

Apr 05 - 0958a.jpg
Photographed by Sparra Mc ©

Wingless Grasshopper,
Phaulacridium vittatum

The Wingless Grasshopper is a native insect that feeds on a wide variety of plant material. They are pests maijnly in areas where there have been established pastures prior to planting with trees. They are found throughout southern Australia. They are gregarious insects and often congregate in large swarms.

Description:
Newly emerged nymphs are less than 2mm in length and grey/black in colour. They resemble adults but are considerably smaller and have small wing buds.

Adults range from 12-20mm in length. They are brownish in colour with orange hindlegs. Some have a white stripe on each side of the thorax. Most adults have a pair of small, non-functional wings, but some do develop functional wings and are capable of flying short distances.

Wingless grasshoppers usually have one generation per year.

Eggs are laid in pods in the soil from late January through to March/April. They are usually laid in sandy areas or areas where vegetation is sparse. Each pod contains 10-16 eggs and is deposited 1-2 cms below the soil surface. The eggs remain dormant over winter and further development begins in spring when soil temperatures rise. Hatching occurs from late September/October to December depending on the location and the season. Hatching may be extended over several weeks.

There are five nymphal stages before the hoppers become adults. First stage nymphs may be found from late October onwards. The nymphs do not move very far from where they hatched and they usually remain in isolated patches.

The nymphs begin developing into adults late in November and most are adults by late December. As the availability of greenfeed declines in mid-summer and autumn, the hoppers begin to move and those that hatch outside plantations may move in and damage young trees. Some will develop wings which enable them to disperse further. The proportion of the population that develops wings is greater if population numbers are high.

Wingless Grasshopper, Phaulacridium vittatum Apr 05 - 0958a.jpg Photographed by Sparra Mc ©Wingless Grasshopper,Phaulacridium vittatumThe Wingless Grasshopper is a native insect that feeds on a wide variety of plant material. They are pests maijnly in areas where there have been established pastures prior to planting with trees. They are found throughout southern Australia. They are gregarious insects and often congregate in large swarms.Description:Newly emerged nymphs are less than 2mm in length and grey/black in colour. They resemble adults but are considerably smaller and have small wing buds. Adults range from 12-20mm in length. They are brownish in colour with orange hindlegs. Some have a white stripe on each side of the thorax. Most adults have a pair of small, non-functional wings, but some do develop functional wings and are capable of flying short distances.Wingless grasshoppers usually have one generation per year.Eggs are laid in pods in the soil from late January through to March/April. They are usually laid in sandy areas or areas where vegetation is sparse. Each pod contains 10-16 eggs and is deposited 1-2 cms below the soil surface. The eggs remain dormant over winter and further development begins in spring when soil temperatures rise. Hatching occurs from late September/October to December depending on the location and the season. Hatching may be extended over several weeks.There are five nymphal stages before the hoppers become adults. First stage nymphs may be found from late October onwards. The nymphs do not move very far from where they hatched and they usually remain in isolated patches.The nymphs begin developing into adults late in November and most are adults by late December. As the availability of greenfeed declines in mid-summer and autumn, the hoppers begin to move and those that hatch outside plantations may move in and damage young trees. Some will develop wings which enable them to disperse further. The proportion of the population that develops wings is greater if population numbers are high.

Apr 05 - 0958a.jpg
Photographed by Sparra Mc ©

Wingless Grasshopper,
Phaulacridium vittatum

The Wingless Grasshopper is a native insect that feeds on a wide variety of plant material. They are pests maijnly in areas where there have been established pastures prior to planting with trees. They are found throughout southern Australia. They are gregarious insects and often congregate in large swarms.

Description:
Newly emerged nymphs are less than 2mm in length and grey/black in colour. They resemble adults but are considerably smaller and have small wing buds.

Adults range from 12-20mm in length. They are brownish in colour with orange hindlegs. Some have a white stripe on each side of the thorax. Most adults have a pair of small, non-functional wings, but some do develop functional wings and are capable of flying short distances.

Wingless grasshoppers usually have one generation per year.

Eggs are laid in pods in the soil from late January through to March/April. They are usually laid in sandy areas or areas where vegetation is sparse. Each pod contains 10-16 eggs and is deposited 1-2 cms below the soil surface. The eggs remain dormant over winter and further development begins in spring when soil temperatures rise. Hatching occurs from late September/October to December depending on the location and the season. Hatching may be extended over several weeks.

There are five nymphal stages before the hoppers become adults. First stage nymphs may be found from late October onwards. The nymphs do not move very far from where they hatched and they usually remain in isolated patches.

The nymphs begin developing into adults late in November and most are adults by late December. As the availability of greenfeed declines in mid-summer and autumn, the hoppers begin to move and those that hatch outside plantations may move in and damage young trees. Some will develop wings which enable them to disperse further. The proportion of the population that develops wings is greater if population numbers are high.

Common Teasel, Dipsacus fullonum

Apr 05 - 01128.jpg
Photographed by Sparra Mc ©

Common Teasel Dipsacus fullonum

Plant Description: An erect biennial with small prickles on the stem and distinctive spiny flower heads. Common teasel may reach 6 1/2 feet in height and is primarily a weed of roadsides, pastures, hayfields, and occasionally rosettes can be found in turfgrass. This weed is found throughout the United States except in the northern great plains.

Seedling: Cotyledons are oval to round in shape and occur on short petioles. First true leaves are also oval to round in shape, have rounded or 'scalloped' teeth, and have an overall wrinkled appearance.

Leaves: Plants initially produce a basal rosette of leaves and then flowering stems are produced during the second year. Rosette leaves are oval in outline, have a wrinkled appearance, and have margins with rounded or 'scalloped' teeth. Leaves that occur on the flowering stems are opposite, without petioles (sessile), and are lanceolate in outline. Leaves that occur on the flowering stems are also 'clasping', with their leaf bases completely surrounding the stem. All leaf midveins have short prickles on them.

Stems: Flowering stems are produced during the second year of growth and are erect and branching near the upper portions of the plant. Stems are angled and also have many small prickles that are turned downward on them.

Fruit: An achene that is angled and approximately 2 to 3 mm long.

Flowers: Flowers are egg-shaped in outline but cut off squarely at the base. Flowers are approximately 1 1/4 to 4 inches long and consist of many individual white to lilac flowers that bloom in a circular pattern around the seedhead. Individual flowers are from 10 to 15 mm long and occur on flower stalks (peduncles). Several long, leaf-like bracts also branch out from the base of the flower and curve upward around the head.

Identifying Characteristics: Leaves with a 'wrinkled' appearance, stems with small prickles curving downward, and large spiny flower heads are all characteristics that help to distinguish common teasel from other weed species. When in the rosette stage of growth, however, common teasel might be mistaken for a thistle, Common Burdock (Arctium minus), or Broadleaf Dock (Rumex obtusifolius), but neither of these weeds have leaves that are 'wrinkled' like those of common teasel.