Abstract <p>Understanding food plant resources is essential for assessing habitat suitability for herbivorous animals, especially for species with limited movement that depend on local resources. However, obtaining this information can be challenging for species whose plant consumption cannot be easily monitored. Here we use DNA metabarcoding to identify the plant species present in the faeces of two grasshopper species of the flightless Australian subfamily Morabinae, the endangered Keys’ matchstick grasshopper <i>Keyacris scurra</i>, and the Larapuna matchstick grasshopper, <i>Vandiemenella viatica</i>. DNA sequences from the chloroplast trnL (UAA) and rbcL genes and ribosomal ITS2 region were used to identify the plant species in the diet across five populations per grasshopper species. We found a total of 28 plant taxa in the faecal samples of <i>K</i>. <i>scurra</i> and 38 in <i>V</i>. <i>viatica</i>. While both species primarily consumed indigenous plants from the daisy family (Asteraceae), <i>V</i>. <i>viatica</i> showed broader dietary diversity and a higher representation of myrtle plants (Myrtaceae). Introduced grass species from the Poaceae family were also identified in the diet. PERMANOVAs showed significant differences in the composition of the plant community consumed across sites. Alpha diversity metrics revealed no significant differences between the two grasshopper species. However, significant variation was observed across sites, depending on the choice of DNA barcoding region targeted by different primer sets (e.g., Shannon Index: χ²(9) = 30.732, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001 for ITS2).</p> Implications for insect conservation <p>Our findings provide evidence-based guidance for revegetation efforts seeking to expand the range of the two morabines, by highlighting plant species that best support their dietary and habitat needs and enhance habitat quality and resilience, an approach that can also inform restoration strategies for other ecologically similar grasshopper species.</p>