3rd edition
Robert E. Pfadt.
University of Wyoming, Laramie
2002, 288 pp.
Price $45.00, hardcover-concealed wire-o-binding

Grasshoppers and their management have played an important role in the history of agriculture across the prairies of the western United States. Indeed, the concept of and tools and techniques used in today’s area wide pest management programs can trace their origins back to the renowned USDA–APHIS grasshopper control programs of past years. Although the federally sponsored programs of today are more narrowly focused than those of the past, grasshopper management in the vast areas of federally owned rangeland in the western United States still draws attention and resources. These programs require a significant baseline of expertise from their practitioners to meet the environmental and economic interests of the varied groups charged with stewardship of those lands.

Western Grasshoppers was developed by a well-recognized, lifelong student and teacher of grasshopper biology and management, Robert E. Pfadt. This publication was developed to provide scouts and supervisors with a practical means of "identifying common species of grasshoppers in both nymphal and adult stages." It also was designed to be a source of instruction on "grasshopper structure, life history, behavior, and ecology."

The book is divided into two sections. The first is an introductory chapter that covers "grasshopper basics." The second section is a compilation of fact sheets on the 60 most common species of grasshoppers encountered by scouts in the western United States.

The first section (42 pages) is accompanied with well-drawn line illustrations of the various topics. This section begins with a review of external anatomy, including the head, thorax, abdomen, legs, and wings and the dichotomous anatomy of male and female grasshoppers. It also covers the basics of binomial nomenclature used for classification and follows with coverage of grasshopper population structure and a general life history of the grasshopper. Those discussions are supplemented with useful line drawings of embryonic development of grasshopper eggs, which are used to stage hatching. Pfadt covers the basics of grasshopper seasonal cycles and presents a first-rate section on grasshopper behavior. The basics of grasshopper collecting for survey are then covered (which, in fact, could be used as a guide by any beginning collector). The section concludes with an appendix on common scientific names of grasshopper food plants, a glossary of terms, and a collection of selected references.

The second section begins with a list of the 60 grasshopper fact sheets, arranged alphabetically by genus and species, but each is also listed by a common name. The common names consist of those few names currently approved and recognized by the Committee on Common Names of the ESA, along with common names that I assume are used regularly among acridologists, but have yet to be approved by ESA. The fact sheets are pleasingly designed.

Each sheet includes the following topics, which are all well covered: Distribution and Habitat, Economic Importance, Food Habits, Dispersal and Migration, Identification, Hatching, Nymphal Development, Adults and Reproduction, Population Ecology, and Daily Activity. A graphic depiction of known distribution in North America accompanies each sheet. Each sheet contains a color photograph of each nymphal instar, an adult male and female, and an intact egg pod along with some individual eggs. Some also include pictures of the head and wings. It is obvious that the photographer possessed great patience and skill to obtain high-quality photos that accurately reflect natural color patterns of these species.

Upon arrival in Oklahoma some 6 years ago, I was assigned to cover rangeland pest management (translated = grasshoppers) with experienced assurances that I would only "occasionally" be challenged with a significant extension work load. Since then, I have dealt regularly with grasshoppers throughout the state. I originally purchased this set of materials to be stored in a 3-ring binder, and I have put the materials to great use over the years. The book I reviewed is bound with concealed wire-o-binding and a hard cover. The only concern I have with the current packaging is that, unlike my three-ring binder, if one of the sheets becomes detached, it cannot be replaced.

The suggested price of this book is $45, and I believe it is well worth the money. It is well written and packaged in an attractive cover. The first section of the book is "geographically neutral" and would be valuable to anyone interested in grasshopper biology. Although the second section covers some grasshoppers with a wide distribution, the book title accurately reflects the contents because it covers a very few species that reside east of the Mississippi.

In summary, this is a valuable source of information for researchers and educators who are interested in or work extensively with western grasshoppers and their management. It could also serve as a useful reference for anyone who needs to be "introduced" to grasshopper biology, regardless of their geographical location.

Tom A. Royer
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK
American Entomologist
Vol. 49, No.3, Fall 2003