Night-singing grasshopper sounds like a cicada - ID?

[crazylilthing]

There's a grasshopper chirping very loudly and clearly every night from a garden two doors away (about 20 metres) from us and this is something I've never heard before, let alone in east London!

Does anyone know what a very loud, exuberant chirper could be? and what its habitat is and why that makes a garden attractive?

we do live only about 500 metres from the Walthamstow marshes but it's still remarkable, as the immediate area is rows and rows of terraced housing interlaced with busy roads.

[Jason Green]

No idea on species, but to the best of my knowledge it'll be a Cricket calling at night, as opposed to a grasshopper. Several of our Bush-crickets are nocturnal, including the Oak Bush-cricket which can then be attracted to light!

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

No idea on species, but to the best of my knowledge it'll be a Cricket calling at night, as opposed to a grasshopper. Several of our Bush-crickets are nocturnal, including the Oak Bush-cricket which can then be attracted to light!

Unlikely to be Oak BC as they don't stridulate, only tap their hind leg on a leaf, so you'd need phenomenal hearing to hear that!

I'm wondering if what you've heard is an escaped cricket species as these are regularly sold in pet shops as reptile, spider,etc food + do escape. Some such as the House Cricket do occasionally form temporary colonies.

[RoutlTrc]

Hi,Dark-bush Crickets,sing at night and if i remember it is a sort of a hissing sound,so this might be the species you have heard.


Regards


Steve

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Unlikely to be Oak BC as they don't stridulate, only tap their hind leg on a leaf, so you'd need phenomenal hearing to hear that!

Ah, right. I kind of remember that now - oops!

[crazylilthing]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Unlikely to be Oak BC as they don't stridulate, only tap their hind leg on a leaf, so you'd need phenomenal hearing to hear that!

well, this one is very, very loud, so not an Oak BC, then. The closest thing I've ever heard is in Provence! Definite preference for night singing, too.

I wonder what kind of plant it is hiding out on?

[Fourwings]

There are species of Cicada that have been found in the South of the UK, pressumably imports.
Whatever it is, if its that loud I'd say it was a visitor rather than a native species.

[Gill Catton]

My money's on a house cricket (Acheta sp.) escaped reptile food, they sing at night and they don't half go on and on - the native dark bush cricket does sing at night but its not very loud and I don't think you could confuse it with a cicada type sound.

[crazylilthing]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

There are species of Cicada that have been found in the South of the UK...
Whatever it is, if its that loud I'd say it was a visitor rather than a native species.

Great! I wouldn't mind if one or two overwintered and established a colony... or shouldn't I be thinking that?

[Gill Catton]

I doubt very much that its a cicada - these are very rare in the pet trade - possibly because they are so noisy - who'd want that in their home? (starnger things have happened though!)

try going to a pet shop that specialises in reptiles and have a listen to their crickets

[crazylilthing]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

...try going to a pet shop that specialises in reptiles and have a listen to their crickets

Good idea, but they are always completely silent whenever I've been into a pet shop, and I can't get in at night!

It's a shame I can't capture the sound, because it sure does sound like a Cicada, and I have lived in places with Cicadas for 2 years.

What if that were possible - for a Cicada to have reached London and survived? Is it that implausible?

[Acutipuerilis]

It certainly could be possible. After all, we've got a native species, but it's extremely rare, and resrticted to the New Forest (assuming it's not yet extinct). That species is very quiet, though, so it's not your beastie.

Have you been to talk to the neighbours? They might just let you search for it at night, and if you can only get a photo then the mystery is solved. Do they have any large trees, or is it all low plants?

[crazylilthing]

Originally Posted by Acutipuerilis

Have you been to talk to the neighbours? They might just let you search for it at night, and if you can only get a photo then the mystery is solved. Do they have any large trees, or is it all low plants?

Unfortunately, I don't know the neighbours two doors down. They're quite new here. However I can see from one of our windows that their garden is mainly laid to lawn which is kept largely unmown for most of the time. There is overhanging vegetation, such as a large wisteria and a few other bits and pieces.

Could it be:

ROESEL'S BUSH CRICKET Metrioptera roeselii , which is well-established on Walthamstow marshes, for example?

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by crazylilthing

Unfortunately, I don't know the neighbours two doors down. They're quite new here. However I can see from one of our windows that their garden is mainly laid to lawn which is kept largely unmown for most of the time. There is overhanging vegetation, such as a large wisteria and a few other bits and pieces.

Could it be:

ROESEL'S BUSH CRICKET Metrioptera roeselii , which is well-established on Walthamstow marshes, for example?

Yes it could be - they sound a bit like a freewheeling bicycle - the warmer it is the faster the bike! And it is more or less constant once it warms up

[SueFromKent]

Hi,

I live in Ramsgate, Kent and have exactly the same experience. It is singing away when I walk the dog last thing at night - around midnight. Have heard it for about a week, always in the same place - appears to be coming from under a neighbours car, on a concrete drive !!

At first I thougt it was some kind of alarm as it can be heard quite a distance away, but when you go near the sound changes and sometimes stops when the security light goes on. If they have seen e peering under the car the neighbours must think I'm trying to steal it or something !!!

Sue