Common Green Grasshopper?

[jezlee]

Hello all - unfortunately this is the only shot I got before he leapt away, but am I right in assuming this will be the Common green grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus)? The photograph was taken in long grass by Chesil Beach, Dorset, at the end of July.

[Deb London]

Meadow Grasshopper for me. Adult, therefore female (short-winged form).

I still find them tricky and so may be completely wrong.

[GuyF]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Meadow Grasshopper for me. Adult, therefore female (short-winged form).

I still find them tricky and so may be completely wrong.

I agree, female Meadow Grasshopper, these are generally much more common than Common Greens despite the name!
Guy

[jezlee]

Thanks for the comments, Deb and Guy - how do you differentiate between sexes in grasshoppers?

[Deb London]

Hi Jez - I just know that the female has short wings.
I'd love to know if you can sex them easily.

[GuyF]

Originally Posted by jezlee

Thanks for the comments, Deb and Guy - how do you differentiate between sexes in grasshoppers?

It's probably easiest in Meadow Grasshoppers, as the females almost always have very short, stubby wings, making them flightless, while the males are fully-winged.
With other species, a few useful (but not always reliable) features are:
1. The wings are relatively longer in males, often extending beyond the tip of the abdomen whereas they often fall short in females.
2. The antennae are relatively longer in males.
3. Females are often noticeably larger.

If in doubt you can check the end of the abdomen, the shape varies between species but males and females are usually noticeably different!
Guy

[jezlee]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Hi Jez - I just know that the female has short wings.
I'd love to know if you can sex them easily.

Thanks, Deb!

[jezlee]

Originally Posted by GuyF

It's probably easiest in Meadow Grasshoppers, as the females almost always have very short, stubby wings, making them flightless, while the males are fully-winged.
With other species, a few useful (but not always reliable) features are:
1. The wings are relatively longer in males, often extending beyond the tip of the abdomen whereas they often fall short in females.
2. The antennae are relatively longer in males.
3. Females are often noticeably larger.

If in doubt you can check the end of the abdomen, the shape varies between species but males and females are usually noticeably different!
Guy

Thanks, Guy, for that information - I am a little wiser now ...