Lactista species have a robust yet streamlined body with a fairly upright head (not slant-faced). Their body coloration is usually gray, tan, brown, or mottled, blending well with soil, rocks, and dry vegetation. When at rest, they appear cryptic, but in flight they reveal conspicuously banded hind wings, often with dark cross-bands and paler bases or margins—typical of band-winged grasshoppers. When approached, Lactista grasshoppers usually flush suddenly with a loud, crackling flight, a hallmark of band-winged grasshoppers. They often fly a considerable distance before landing. Some species may produce audible wing sounds during flight, and males may also stridulate during courtship.