Abstract: Grasshoppers are the most important invertebrate pests on rangelands in the Inner Mongolia, where control should be initiated in most regions. A reasonable economic threshold for grasshopper control is essential to the judicious deployment of insecticidal control and thus crucial to the success of integrated pest management. According to the daily food consumption assessed in semi-natural condition and the average longevity of nymphal instars and of adult calculated based on field population sampling data of five major species of grasshoppers, the economic thresholds (3rd instar, individuals/m²) for controlling these grasshoppers by insecticide (malathion) on Inner Mongolian Steppe were suggested, i.e. 22.7 for Dasyhippus barbipes, 37.4 for Aeropedellus variegates minutus, 16.9 for Oedaleus asiaticus, 34.3 for Myrmeleotettix palpalis, and 36.7 for Chorthippus dubius.

Key words: Grasshopper, steppe, food consumption, economic threshold for control, Inner Mongolia