In the past twenty years in Saskatchewan the rate of nymphal development of three species of grasshoppers has varied considerably from year to year and region to region. Camnula pellucida appeared as early as, or earlier than, the other two species. The average date of attainment of the adult stage was July 21 compared to August 4th for Melanoplus bilituratus and M. bivittatus. Adult surveys in Saskatchewan have generally coincided with the time when the dominant species of grasshoppers, in any region, have attained full morphological and sexual maturity and have had an opportunity to disperse and stabilize density. Duration of the surveys, in any one of seven regions, in the years 1958-1961, varied from 4-31 days and averaged 19 days per year. The total period of survey for the province varied from 25-42 days and averaged 30 days per year.

Variations in seasonal histories of the several grasshopper species demand an elastic schedule for surveys. The concept of maintaining a standard and rigid “best time” for surveys is untenable in the light of the present investigations.