Melanoplus

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A group of grasshoppers in the Americas that sometimes form swarms and damage crops

noun
/ˌmɛləˈnoʊpləs/

Specialized

: Melanoplus

Researchers study Melanoplus migratory locusts to understand their behavior and migration patterns.

Examples

The Melanoplus grasshoppers are known for their distinctive chirping sounds during the summer.
Farmers often use traps to manage the population of Melanoplus species that damage crops.
PHOTO (COLOR): Melanoplus grasshoppers that have been killed by the fungus Beauveria bassiana.

Academic text (2004)
Into this scene of taxonomic confusion and conservation trauma, the short-horned scrub grasshoppers of the genus Melanoplus leap to the rescue.

Academic text (1993)
These small, flightless Melanoplus species that inhabit Florida scrub are attractive creatures with an alert stance, a black racing stripe, and a freckled face.

Academic text (1993)

Surface Forms

Melanoplus singular

Melanoplus plural

Etymology

Melanoplus starts with the Greek root melano- meaning 'black', the same root in melanin that gives color to skin and hair. It is the scientific name for a group of American grasshoppers, so the name helps you remember that some species are dark in color.