Grey Bush-cricket

Platycleis albopunctata

The Grey Bush-cricket’s body colour is mainly grey to light brown, although the top of the head and thorax maybe brown or green. The underside is usually a pale yellow or green. The hind femora normally have a dark ‘fish-bone’ pattern. Both sexes are fully winged. Females have a black and long, upturned ovipositor. The song consists of a short buzzing sound. Body length 20 to 30mm. Ovipositor length 10mm.

They are omnivorous.

Seen in July to October. A coastal species found on rough vegetation and coarse grass, on sand dunes, shingle banks, cliffs and low scrub. Mainly the coasts of southern England, and southern and western Wales.

Photographs of the Grey Bush-cricket (Platycleis albopunctata) taken August 2015, Daddyhole Plain, Torquay, Devon. © Pete Hillman 2015. Camera used Nikon D3200, with Sigma 105mm macro lens.

08/1608/16 by Peter Hillman Categories: Animals (Invertebrates), Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Nature PhotographyTags: Bush-crickets, Crickets, Grasshoppers & Crickets, Grey Bush-cricket, Insects, Lepidoptera, Macro, Macro Photography, Nature, Nature Photography, Orthoptera, Platycleis albopunctata, Tettigoniidae, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography 2 Comments

Long-winged Conehead

Conocephalus discolor

This bush-cricket is normally green with brown wings and a brown stripe on the head and pronotum. Both sexes are fully winged, and usually the wings extend beyond the abdomen tip. The ovipositor is long and straight, compared to the shorter and strongly curved ovipositor of the very similar Short-winged Conehead (Conocephalus dorsalis),  which has wings that only cover half of the abdomen which makes this species incapable of flight. The song is a quiet, high-pitched  hiss. Body length 14 to 22mm. Ovipositor 9 to 13mm.

They are omnivorous, but mainly feed on plant material.

Seen July to October. Found in rough grassland and reed-beds, especially near rivers and marshes. Widespread in southern Britain, although once considered rare it was placed on the Red Data List, it has spread as far north as Wales and the Midlands.

Photographs taken of the Long-winged Conehead (Conocephalus discolor) in July 2015, local field, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2015. Camera used Nikon D3200, with Sigma 105mm macro lens.

08/1608/16 by Peter Hillman Categories: Animals (Invertebrates), Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Nature PhotographyTags: Bush-crickets, Conocephalus discolor, Crickets, Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Long-winged Conehead, Macro, Macro Photography, Nature, Nature Photography, Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography 11 Comments

Slender Groundhopper

Tetrix subulata

Another groundhopper species which I discovered at the same pond as the Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata). There are only three species of groundhopper to be found in Britain, the other being Cepero’s Groundhopper (Tetrix ceperoi), which is rarer and found mainly along the south coast of England and Wales.

This is a small relative of the grasshoppers with colour ranges from pale brown, often with a pinkish tinge, to grey and black. It has a wide-shouldered pronotum which has a slight keel and usually reaches well beyond the tip of the abdomen. The wings extend beyond the pronotum, and they are fully capable of flight. Adults can also swim. Length 9 to 14mm. 

It feeds on low vegetation like algae, mosses and lichens.

Nymphs appear from May to July, and adults appear by August. Found in damp environments near ponds and in shaded, muddy locations. Fairly frequent in the south of Britain and the Midlands.

Photographs taken of the Slender Groundhopper (Tetrix subulata) in August 2015, local pond, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2015. Camera used Nikon D3200, with Sigma 105mm macro lens.

08/1608/16 by Peter Hillman Categories: Animals (Invertebrates), Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Nature PhotographyTags: Grasshoppers, Grasshoppers & Crickets, Groundhopper, Groundhoppers, Insects, Macro, Macro Photography, Nature, Nature Photography, Orthoptera, Slender Groundhopper, Tetrigidae, Tetrix subulata, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography 2 Comments

Common Groundhopper

Tetrix undulata

This is quite a small groundhopper which is from the order Orthoptera, the Grasshoppers and Crickets. Groundhoppers have their own family within this order called Tetrigidae. I came across this and many others on the damp margins of a local pond.

This is a small relative of the grasshoppers and is often overlooked it is so small. Apart from its small size, it is also well armoured with an extended pronotum which does not reach beyond the tip of the abdomen. The pronotum also has wide shoulders with a prominent keel and it often has dark spots on either side. The colour ranges from pale mottled brown to black, depending on its surroundings. It has very short wings which do not go beyond the pronotum, but it can fly. It can also swim. Length 8 to 11mm.

It feeds on low vegetation like mosses and lichens.

It is active all year round. Found in both dry and wet habitats, preferably in open habitats with bare ground and short vegetation. Common and widespread throughout.

Photographs taken of Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata) in August 2015, local pond, Staffordshire. © Pete Hillman 2015. Camera used Nikon D3200, with Sigma 105mm macro lens.

08/16 by Peter Hillman Categories: Animals (Invertebrates), Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Nature PhotographyTags: Common Groundhopper, Grasshoppers, Grasshoppers & Crickets, Groundhopper, Insects, Macro, Macro Photography, Nature, Nature Photography, Orthoptera, Tetrigidae, Tetrix undulata, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography 2 Comments

Common Field Grasshopper

Chorthippus brunneus

The Common Field Grasshopper is usually brown, but green and other colour forms exist. Sharply angled keels on the top of the thorax and dense hair below. The wings stretch well beyond the tip of the abdomen, and enable them to fly some distance. The upper side of the tip of the abdomen is usually reddish, especially in males. Length 15 to 25mm. The song is a short sequence of chirps, similar to time-signal pips.

It feeds on low vegetation, but mainly grasses.

Seen June to October. It occurs mainly on dry grassland and meadows. It flies more readily than most grasshoppers, and it is also seen on mown lawns. Widespread and common.

Photographs taken August 2015, local fields, Staffordshire.

06/1606/16 by Peter Hillman Categories: Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Nature PhotographyTags: Acrididae, Chorthippus brunneus, Common Field Grasshopper, Grasshopper, Grasshoppers, Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Macro, Macro Photography, Nature, Nature Photography, Orthoptera, Wildlife Photography Leave a comment

Speckled Bush-cricket

Leptophyes punctatissima

This is a flightless green cricket which is covered in tiny dark speckles, which is where it gets its name from. It has a pale yellow line running  from each eye towards the abdomen, and a broad brown line running down the centre of its back, although immature Speckled Bush-crickets have a thin pale yellow line. The males have small brown flightless wings, whilst the female has but two tiny flaps. The female has a sickle-shaped ovipositor. Its scratchy call is so quiet it can hardly be heard by humans. Length 10 to 20mm.

They feed on a wide range of vegetation.

Seen July to November. Found resting on vegetation like nettles or brambles in hedgerows or woodland margins, and sometimes gardens. Common andwidespread in the south of England and Wales, although it often goes unnoticed due to its excellent camouflage.

All photographs taken June 2014, local woodland path, Staffordshire.

06/1606/16 by Peter Hillman Categories: Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Nature PhotographyTags: Grasshoppers & Crickets, Insects, Leptophyes punctatissima, Nature, Nature Photography, Orthoptera, Speckled Bush-cricket, Wildlife Photography Leave a comment