What does a zayante band-winged grasshopper eat?
Interesting. I hadn’t heard of this species and then found this googling for answers: “One of the greatest challenges to protecting and restoring habitat for endangered invertebrates is insufficient basic life history and ecological information. Collecting such data for rare species is especially challenging because most host plant identification protocols involve destructive sampling, such as gut content analysis, that are inappropriate for endangered species. This study used a combination of frass analysis, field observations, and habitat use correlations to infer host plant use and preference for adult Zayante band-winged grasshopper (ZBWG) Trimerotropis infantilis (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in Santa Cruz County, California. Of 128 frass samples collected, host plant identity could be clearly determined through microscopic analysis in 103 samples. The majority of host plants found in the frass were Lupinus albifrons (Fabaceae) and Heterotheca sessiliflora (Asteraceae), with occasional
