Dactylotum bicolor, commonly known as the rainbow grasshopper, is noted for its striking multicolored appearance, featuring vibrant patterns of yellow, blue, red, and black. It inhabits grasslands and prairies across North America. This grasshopper is diurnal and primarily feeds on aster plants, playing a role in their seed dispersal.

Dactylotum bicolor, commonly known as the rainbow grasshopper, is native to North America. Its geographical distribution spans across the central and western regions of the United States, notably in states such as Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and extending into the northwestern regions of Mexico.

The rainbow grasshopper typically inhabits arid to semi-arid environments, including deserts, grasslands, and prairies. These regions are characterized by a dry climate with low to moderate rainfall, high temperatures, and open landscapes with sparse vegetation.

Dactylotum bicolor occupies an ecological niche as a herbivore, primarily feeding on a variety of forbs and grasses. Its bright coloration is believed to serve as a warning to predators about its unpalatability, a form of aposematic coloration. The species is well-adapted to withstand the high temperatures and limited water availability of its native habitat.