Market basket analysis of grasshopper ( O rthoptera: A crididae) assemblages in eastern W yoming: a 17‐year case study using associative analysis for ecological insights into grasshopper outbreaks

1. This study utilised an associative analysis ( AA ) technique named market basket analysis ( MBA ) to investigate whether particular grasshopper ( O rthoptera: A crididae) species associations are common during outbreaks (>9.6 grasshoppers m −2 ) that last >3 years. This study is the first of its kind to use MBA on animal communities. 2. A subset of the 17 years of grasshopper density data from the W yoming G rasshopper S urvey D ataset was used to explore associations among grasshopper species. 3. Associations of certain species were found with over 80% confidence. Life‐history traits of those species commonly found together were examined and compared ( a posteriori ), creating opportunities to hypothesise certain ecological relationships (e.g. interspecific competition, indirect mutualism) for future studies. 4. This case study shows that further MBA analysis of grasshopper assemblages should prove useful in discovering ecological relationships of grasshopper species during outbreaks. Preliminary examples are demonstrated.