Worcestershire Record No. 21 April 2007 pp. 11-12

WORCESTERSHIRE ORTHOPTERA UPDATE 2006

by Gary Farmer (Based on my personal observations)

Tetrix undulataCommon Groundhopper
Widespread. Overlooked due to small size.

Tetrix subulataSlender Groundhopper
Widespread in wetlands and woodlands.

Chorthippus brunneusField Grasshopper
Still common throughout county. Needs hot dry habitats, so fared well in 2006.

Chorthippus albomarginatusLesser Marsh Grasshopper
Continues to spread in to ‘non-typical’ habitats, now occurring in almost any grassland. Possibly our most numerous species in 2006 (?).

Chorthippus parallelusMeadow Grasshopper
Still widespread and common but declining (?). Not so numerous in 2006, especially where C. albomarginatus occurred in large numbers. Is C. parallelus declining as a result of climate change or is C. albomarginatus out competing it in someway?

Omocestus viridulusCommon Green Grasshopper
Colonies persisted late in to the summer so hopefully it has been a good breeding year and 2007 should be a good year for this species.

Stenobothrus lineatusStripe-winged Grasshopper
Status uncertain. I have still been unable to find the two reported colonies on the Malvern Hills despite having the grid references.

Acheta domesticaHouse Cricket
Not as many reports of this species as I had expected in 2006. Not likely to be breeding outside of buildings in the county (yet). Any records from moth traps?

Meconema thalassinumOak Bushcricket
I’m sure moth trappers are ‘suppressing’ records for this species. It appears to have had a very good year so must have been turning up in moth traps around the county.

Leptophyes puntatissimaSpeckled Bushcricket
An elusive species, so difficult to assess but appears to be on the increase.

Pholidoptera griseoapteraDark Bushcricket
Widespread and numerous but does not appear to be spreading.

Conocephalus discolorLong-winged Conehead
Spreading rapidly especially across the north east of the county.

Conocephalus dorsalisShort-winged Conehead
Very numerous where it does occur, but very local due to it being ‘habitat-specific’. It needs lots of rushes for food and ovipositing so needs good marshy grassland.

Metreoptera roeseliiRoesel’s Bushcricket
Expanding its range rapidly in a north east direction so could be all over the county next year.

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