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Contact information
For information on Wisconsin's rare vertebrate animals, contact:
Rich Staffen
Conservation Biologist
608-266-4340
For information on Wisconsin's rare invertebrates, contact:
Jay Watson
Conservation Biologist
920-662-5161

Forest Locust (Melanoplus islandicus)

Need a main photo for this animal


Overview

There is no overview information available for that species.

State status

Status and Natural Heritage Inventory documented occurrences in Wisconsin

The table below provides information about the protected status - both state and federal - and the rank (S and G Ranks) for Forest Locust (Melanoplus islandicus). See the Working List Key for more information about abbreviations. Counties shaded blue have documented occurrences for this species in the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory database. The map is provided as a general reference of where occurrences of this species meet NHI data standards and is not meant as a comprehensive map of all observations.

Note: Species recently added to the NHI Working List may temporarily have blank occurrence maps.


Documented locations of Melanoplus islandicus in the Natural Heritage Inventory Database as of July 2015.
Summary Information
State StatusSC/N
Federal Status in Wisconsinnone
State RankS2S3
Global RankG5
Tracked by NHIY
WWAP SGCN

Species guidance


Identification: A small short-winged brown and yellow-green grasshopper with a broad pale stripe the length of the dorsal abdomen. Tibias red.

Similar Species: Melanoplus walshii.

Habitat: Northern mesic and dry-mesic forest.

State Distribution: Northern Highlands.

Global Distribution: Manitoba, Quebec south to Virginia, and Iowa.

Phenology: Adults July into September.

Other resources

Links to additional Forest Locust information

Other links related to grasshoppers and allies

Photos/Video

No additional photos are available for Forest Locust at this time. Please consider donating a photo to the Natural Heritage Conservation program.


Wildlife Action Plan

Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan graphic

Natural community (habitat) associations

The table below lists the natural communities that are associated with Forest Locust. Only natural communities for which Forest Locust is "high" (score=3) or "moderate" (score=2) associated are shown. See the key to association scores for complete definitions. Please see the Wildlife Action Plan to learn how this information was developed.

Ecological landscape associations

The table below lists the ecological landscape association scores for Forest Locust. The scores correspond to the map (3=High, 2=Moderate, 1=Low, 0=None). For more information, please see the Wildlife Action Plan.

This map shows the probability of Forest Locust occurring in each of Wisconsin's Ecological Landscapes.  Actual scores can be found in the table to the left.


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Landscape-Community combinations of highest ecological priority*

Ecological priorities are the combinations of natural communities and ecological landscapes that provide Wisconsin's best opportunities to conserve important habitats for a given Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The 10 highest scoring combinations are considered ecological priorities and are listed below. More than 10 combinations are listed if multiple combinations tied for 10th place. For more information, please see the Wildlife Action Plan.

Ecological LandscapeCommunity
North Central Forest Northern Mesic Forest--early seral
North Central Forest Northern Mesic Forest--late seral
North Central Forest Northern Mesic Forest--mid seral
North Central Forest Northern Mesic Forest--young seral
Northeast Sands Northern Dry Forest--mid seral
Northeast Sands Northern Dry Forest--late seral
Northeast Sands Northern Dry Forest--young seral
Northeast Sands Northern Dry Mesic--mid seral
Northeast Sands Northern Dry Mesic--late seral
Northeast Sands Northern Dry Mesic--young seral
Northeast Sands Pine Barrens
Northern Highland Northern Dry Forest--mid seral
Northern Highland Northern Dry Forest--late seral
Northern Highland Northern Dry Forest--young seral
Northern Highland Northern Dry Mesic--mid seral
Northern Highland Northern Dry Mesic--late seral
Northern Highland Northern Dry Mesic--young seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Northern Dry Forest--mid seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Northern Dry Forest--late seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Northern Dry Forest--young seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Northern Mesic Forest--early seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Northern Mesic Forest--late seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Northern Mesic Forest--mid seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Northern Mesic Forest--young seral
Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Great Lakes Dune
Northwest Sands Northern Dry Forest--mid seral
Northwest Sands Northern Dry Forest--late seral
Northwest Sands Northern Dry Forest--young seral
Northwest Sands Northern Dry Mesic--mid seral
Northwest Sands Northern Dry Mesic--late seral
Northwest Sands Northern Dry Mesic--young seral
Northwest Sands Pine Barrens
Superior Coastal Plain Boreal Forest
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Dry Forest--mid seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Dry Forest--late seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Dry Forest--young seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Dry Mesic--mid seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Dry Mesic--late seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Dry Mesic--young seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Forest--early seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Forest--late seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Forest--mid seral
Superior Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Forest--young seral
Superior Coastal Plain Great Lakes Barrens
Superior Coastal Plain Great Lakes Beach
Superior Coastal Plain Great Lakes Dune

* Ecological priority score is a relative measure that is not meant for comparison between species. This score does not consider socio-economical factors that may dictate protection and/or management priorities differently than those determined solely by ecological analysis. Further, a low ecological priority score does not imply that management or preservation should not occur on a site if there are important reasons for doing so locally.

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Issues/threats and conservation actions

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the WWAP because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.

Threats/issues and conservations actions for rare animals

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Last revised: Thursday, December 22, 2022