Abracris flavolineata is diurnal and ground-active, frequently seen basking in sunlight on low vegetation or bare soil. When disturbed, it makes powerful jumps and may fly short distances. Compared with many grassland species, it is relatively conspicuous and slow to flush, relying partly on its dark coloration rather than crypsis alone. A. flavolineata is herbivorous, feeding on a variety of grasses and broad-leaved plants. It is considered a generalist feeder and is not usually regarded as a serious agricultural pest, though it may occasionally be locally abundant.