About Gastrimargus musicus (Fabricius, 1775)
Gastrimargus musicus is commonly known as the yellow-winged locust or yellow-winged grasshopper, and it is a widespread common grasshopper species found in Australia. This species only reveals its bright yellow hind wings when it is in flight, and it also produces a distinct loud clicking or crackling sound during flight. When individuals form swarms, adult yellow-winged locusts change color to dark brown. This species is sometimes misidentified as the Australian plague locust, Chortoicetes terminifera; however, the yellow-winged locust is stouter and larger in build than the Australian plague locust. In the savannas of northern Australia, Gastrimargus musicus persists as a consistently solitary species. There is a clear size difference between adult sexes: adult females measure between 35 and 50 millimeters in length, while smaller adult males range from 25 to 35 millimeters.
