A survey of the seasonal and spatial distribution of the Orthoptera: Acrididae, Tetrigidae, and Tridactylidae of Goat Hill and Nottingham serpentine barrens, Chester County, Pennsylvania with a note on Acrididae from Pink Hill Barren

A three-year survey was conducted from 1996 to 1998 on the spatial and seasonal distributions of three families of Orthoptera (Acrididae, Tetrigidae, and Tridactylidae) in Nottingham and Goat Hill Serpentine Barrens in Chester County, Pennsylvania. A total of twenty species of acridids representing three subfamilies were collected at these two sites, including five species of Gomphocerinae, six species of Oedipodinae, and nine species of Melanoplinae. Syrbula admirabais and Eritettix simplex dominated the gomphocerines, while Trachyrhachys kiowa and Dissosteira Carolina were the most abundant oedipodines. Melanoplus femur-rubrum outnumbered all other species of Melanoplinae except within the riparian area at Goat Hill where Melanoplus gracilis was the dominant acridid. Melanoplus confusus appears to be a rare species in Pennsylvania. It has only been reported from serpentine barren habitats (Goat Hill Barren and Pink Hill Barren) and one undefined site in western Pennsylvania. Five species of Tetrigidae and one species of Tridactylidae were also recorded during the study. A note on the Acrididae of Pink Hill Barren is included.