The body of the adult is generally yellow-brown in color and the wings are pale with large brown spots.

Nymphs reared in crowded conditions develop darker black markings, but density has little effect on their background colors.

[7] S. americana is closely related to the tropical swarming locust S. piceifrons with which it can be readily hybridized in the laboratory.

[3] This is not a severe agricultural pest in terms of economic losses, but it can sometimes cause significant damage to many kinds of crops.

When conditions are right, "population explosions" occur and masses of grasshoppers descend on crop plants.

[9] Besides citrus, it is known to feed on corn, cotton, oats, peanut, rye, sugarcane, tobacco, vegetable crops,[3] and ornamentals.

[3] This species was the source of a newly discovered class of chemical compounds called caeliferins.

This is a common response to herbivory in plants; the volatile organic compounds are attractive to predators of the herbivorous insects.

Caeliferins may also play a role in defense, as the grasshopper expels large amounts of regurgitant when attacked.