BRN 9-3 - Flipbook - Page 15
Grasshopper Nymph
There are many people who are
more knowledgable, and braver,
than I. We are open to suggestions
about the identiÞcation of this
grasshopper nymph. The nymphs of
grasshoppers go through Þve
stages.
It was roughly
¾Ó long and
was found on
Burrobrush,
Ambrosia
monogyra
([Torrey &
Gray ex Gray]
Strother &
Baldwin) in
Warm Springs Wash northeast of
Hillsboro on 07 September 2025.
In the course of trying to narrow the
possibilities I came across the
website of the IdentiÞcation
Technology Program, Grasshoppers
of the Western United States,
Nymph grasshopper key. I have the
feeling that if I knew something this
would be a very useful resource.
It is possible that this is an instar of
Aeoloplides turnbulli, Campylacantha olivacea, Hesperotettix
viridis, or Melanoplus bowditchi.
Campylacantha olivacea, Fuzzy
Olive-green Grasshopper, is fond of
Ambrosia. September is late for a
nymph of this species.
The folks at BugGuide have been
willing to go as far as placing it in
the Melanoplinae, Spur-throated
Grasshoppers.
Beaver Ponds
In previous issues we have discussed
the natural history of the North
American Beaver, Castor canadensis,
and myriad issues associated with
their reintroduction and geographic
spread (see BRN 7-2, for instance).
Luwen Wan, Emily Fairfax, and Kate
Maher (ÒFactors inßuencing surface
water accumulation in beaver pond
complexes across the Western United
StatesÓ, Communications Earth &
Environment 6, 614 (2025). https://
doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02573x) ÒquantiÞed the inßuencing factors
that drive pond area and dam length
variations using an explanatory
modeling approach, after mapping
surface water area of beaver ponds
and creating beaver pond complexes
. . . Our results provide an empirical
foundation to inform site selection
and prioritization for beaver
restoration, supporting watershed
management, climate resilience and
ecological conservation strategies in
regions with comparable data
availability and landscape
characteristics.Ó
As noted in previous issues, the
reintroduction of beaver populations
in an area can be very controversial.
14
The beneÞts of beaver dam building
activity are well documented and
understood, as are the detrimental
effects of such programs (ÒdetrimentalÓ being almost universally
deÞned by speciÞc special interest
groups).
Reintroduction programs can be as
simple as Þnding a site, private or
public, where the humans agree
beavers should live. Or they can be a
bit more comprehensive and longterm in perspective, focusing on the
desired beneÞts (one of which is the
reintroduction of beavers).
