Wildlife Review 2024: Grasshoppers, Bush-crickets and allies

Grasshoppers and crickets (Orthoptera)

Recorded in all life stages from nymphs (instars) to adults. They can be elusive at a times in vegetation, however stridulating males can help to locate and identify. Although mostly active in the warmest months of the year, nymphs can be found earlier. The site audit is fairly stable, although some species can go ‘missing’ for several years.

Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatssima 20th August - Alan Keatley

An early-stage nymph Great Green Bush-cricket Tettigonia viridissima was found on 19th April, with adults not appearing until June, when one unfortunate individual became a tasty snack for the local Kestrel. The first appearance of Grey Bush-cricket Platycleis albopunctata, a nationally scarce species typically found in coastal grassland, was a nymph stalked by crab spider on 5th May. A warm sunny day on 21st May signed the first appearance of the year of the commoner Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera.

Grey Bush-cricket Platycleis albopunctata nymph 7th May - Alan Keatley

The first nymph Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatssima and Long-winged Conehead Conocephalus fuscus of the year were both on 1st June. Having become established on site in recent years, Roesel's Bush-cricket Roeseilana roeselii were vocal in the flower meadows from 18th July, with the inaudible Oak Bush-cricket Meconema thalassinum in scrubbier areas from 8th August.

Long-winged Conehead Conocephalus fuscus - Alan Keatley

The first grasshopper nymphs of the year were Meadow Grasshopper Pseudochorthippus parallelus active from 1st June and throughout the summer and autumn to the final appearance on 29th October. Adult Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus were noted from 13th July with the less common Mottled Grasshopper Myrmeleotettix maculatus from 11th August.

Meadow Grasshopper Pseudochorthippus parallelus - Alan Keatley

Groundhoppers (Tetrigidae)

The only groundhoppers recorded this year were Common Groundhopper Tetrix undulata from 21st March, with no Slender Groundhopper T. subulata found in 2024, a reverse of 2023.

Common Groundhopper Tetrix undulata 21st March - Alan Keatley

Cockroaches (Blattodea)

Just two of the three native cockroaches previously recorded on site were noted the year, the regularly seen Lesser Cockroach Capraiellus panzeri in nymph and adult form from 3rd June and the nationally scarce Tawny Cockroach Ectobius pallidus on 8th August.

Tawny Cockroach Ectobius pallidus 8th August - Alan Keatley

Earwigs (Dermaptera)

Found throughout the year, the aptly named Common Earwig Forficula auricularia was first recorded on 24th January. The nationally scarce Lesne's Earwig F. lesnei was noted from 17th May.

Lesne's Earwig Forficula lesnei 6th July - Kevin Rylands