Bug FAQNorthern Grass Pyrgomorph
Atractomorpha similis · Order: Orthoptera · Family: Pyrgomorphidae
Source: Wikipedia
.jpg){kind=link}
Northern Grass Pyrgomorphs are about 4 cm long and have a compact, tapered body that blends into garden foliage. They live in moist garden areas of northern and eastern Australia and are considered a pest because they chew garden leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The body is compact and narrows at the head and abdomen. It relies on camouflage and rarely tries to flee when threatened.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults average about 40 mm (1.6 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Because it eats garden foliage, it is considered a pest in Australian homes and gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in well-watered garden spots. It prefers areas with semi-permanent or permanent standing water.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It feeds on garden leaves and is regarded as a pest in Australia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is a tropical and temperate grasshopper native to northern and eastern Australia, especially coastal regions, but can occur inland where it is humid enough.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is the most common of three Australian Atractomorpha species; A. australis prefers cooler areas and A. hypoestes is limited to the Arnhem Land escarpment.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Hawaii.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I identify a Northern Grass Pyrgomorph?
Look for a compact, tapered body about 4 cm long that blends into garden plants.
Source: Wikipedia
Why are they in my garden?
They are attracted to moist garden areas and feed on the leaves of garden plants, making them a garden pest.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Pyrgomorphidae)
Koppie Foam GrasshopperDictyophorus spumans
Elegant grasshopperZonocerus elegansDamages trees, gardens or crops
Painted GrasshopperPoekilocerus pictusDamages trees, gardens or crops
Green Milkweed LocustPhymateus viridipes
Spotted LocustAularches miliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Variegated grasshopperZonocerus variegatusDamages trees, gardens or cropsSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atractomorpha_similis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.