By analyzing nucleotide sequences of both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of grasshoppers, a team of researchers has built a phylogeny for Acrididae, the largest taxonomic family of grasshoppers. This new “family tree” for Acrididae suggests the lineage originated in South America, and it also finds that many subfamilies within Acrididae as currently classified need revision. Grasshopper taxonomy long been difficult due to physical similarities between species, but genetic analysis offers a new tool for enhanced taxonomists to improve their understanding of how grasshoppers’ broad diversity evolved. (Image originally published in Song et al 2018, Insect Systematics and Diversity)