The grasshopper species covered in this text overwinter as eggs in the soil. Eggs hatch throughout April, May and June as soil temperatures rise and spring rains begin. The first nymph to leave the egg pod makes a tunnel from the pod to the soil surface through which the succeeding nymphs emerge. Nymphs feed and grow for 35 to 50 days, molting five or six times during this period. Development proceeds most rapidly when the weather is warm and not too wet.
Mature grasshoppers mate and continue feeding on crop plants.
About 2 weeks later, females begin to deposit clusters of eggs in the soil. Each pod may contain 25 to 150 eggs, depending on the species of grasshopper. Grasshoppers which deposit masses containing few eggs usually lay more pods to compensate. Ideally each female may produce 300 eggs. Swarms of grasshoppers usually adopt a specific area as their breeding ground and lay all eggs in that vicinity.