Grasshopper ID

[peterbolson]

Found in long grass near river. Thanks.
Peter

[Ollie]

I'm by no means certain on this one but it looks like a Field Grasshopper to me. Someone with more knowledge on these than me should be able to confirm the ID
Roger

[peterbolson]

Thanks Ollie. I gather the shape of the pronotum and the arrangement of the keels are often of greater use than the colour in distinguishing grasshoppers. I had thought myself that this might be a Green grasshopper and wondered whether there were any other opinions.
Peter

[asheleaf]

this is a tricky one. It is very like a common green, they are also quite hairy and the pronotum shape & colouring fits. I am pretty sure though that the Common green does not have the bulge on the wing edge which can be seen in your pic. So i would say this is the Field grasshopper as has been suggested.

cheers, Ashe

[Dogghound]

Chorthippus brunneus

[djackso]

Brilliant picture - so clear - if the experts cannot ID this I'd be surprised

[djackso]

Originally Posted by asheleaf

I am pretty sure though that the Common green does not have the bulge on the wing edge which can be seen in your pic. So i would say this is the Field grasshopper as has been suggested.

cheers, Ashe

Is this true? This is a great way to tell them apart. There are a couple in my "garden" at the moment, and I was umming and ahhing over ID (I couldn't for the life of me recall their song at the time - I believe this is diagnostic too). But presumably if I can just get a clear shot of the wing - I could confirm.

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by djackso

Is this true? This is a great way to tell them apart. There are a couple in my "garden" at the moment, and I was umming and ahhing over ID (I couldn't for the life of me recall their song at the time - I believe this is diagnostic too). But presumably if I can just get a clear shot of the wing - I could confirm.

Just for you I've dug out my book to confirm (I was being lazy last night)

Common Green Grasshopper, Omocestus viridulus: NEVER has any red or orange on the abdomen; forewing WITHOUT a bulge on the costal margin.

Field Grasshopper, Chorthippus brunneus: Forewings WITH a bulge on the costal margin. Pronotal side-keels SHARPLY ANGLED, and WEDGE-MARKS DO NOT EXTEND TO THE HIND MARGIN (of the pronotum); HIND PART OF PRONOTUM IS LONGER than fore-part; WINGS EXTEND BEYOND THE HIND KNEES; very HAIRY ventral thorax (chest).

from Marshall & Haes

Hope this helps you tell them apart!

Ashe

[djackso]

Thanks, Ashe - that helps loads! I've even printed out your post for future reference. DJ

[peterbolson]

Many thanks for all the very helpful replies. I've learnt an awful lot in a short time, & saved Ashe's notes for future reference. Grasshoppers are a lot more complicated than I imagined
Peter

[Fourwings]

Nice image.
Its definately Chorthippus brunneus

Marshall & Haes is still a good book for ID'ing Ortheptera but it really needs revising and re-writing now. Having been written 20 years ago the distribution details and maps are woefully incorrect now and could be very misleading to those just getting into the subject.
These days I tend to use "Grasshoppers & Crickets of Britain & Ireland" by Evans & Edmondson, a great book in every aspect.

[djackso]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

Nice image.
Its definately Chorthippus brunneus

Marshall & Haes is still a good book for ID'ing Ortheptera but it really needs revising and re-writing now. Having been written 20 years ago the distribution details and maps are woefully incorrect now and could be very misleading to those just getting into the subject.
These days I tend to use "Grasshoppers & Crickets of Britain & Ireland" by Evans & Edmondson, a great book in every aspect.

Interesting - it's good to have this sort of recommendation .

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

Nice image.
Its definately Chorthippus brunneus

Marshall & Haes is still a good book for ID'ing Ortheptera but it really needs revising and re-writing now. Having been written 20 years ago the distribution details and maps are woefully incorrect now and could be very misleading to those just getting into the subject.
These days I tend to use "Grasshoppers & Crickets of Britain & Ireland" by Evans & Edmondson, a great book in every aspect.

The Marshall & Haes had be confused when i first began looking at Orthoptera but it is great for iding. I haven't seen the book you mentioned. Are the distribution details up to date? Is it comprehensive enough to make Marshall & Haes defunct? Sorry for so many questions but I'm trying to decide whether or not to invest in a copy.

thanks, Ashe

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by asheleaf

The Marshall & Haes had be confused when i first began looking at Orthoptera but it is great for iding. I haven't seen the book you mentioned. Are the distribution details up to date? Is it comprehensive enough to make Marshall & Haes defunct? Sorry for so many questions but I'm trying to decide whether or not to invest in a copy.

thanks, Ashe

I don't think it makes Marshall + Haes defunct as there is so much info in it + covers cockroaches + earwigs too.

The Evans book solely covers Orthoptera but if you're buying 1 book now to ID them it's an essential purchase. The maps are fairly up to date, though with Orthoptera currently very dynamic, there's always a degree of obsolescence as soon as these things are published, but the best currently available.

It covers every recorded species- including vagrants such as Large Conehead, recent arrivals such as Southern Oak BC + pet shop escapes too. The photos + keys are top notch.

An essential purchase for anyone with an interest in this group. A joy to look at!

[asheleaf]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I don't think it makes Marshall + Haes defunct as there is so much info in it + covers cockroaches + earwigs too.

The Evans book solely covers Orthoptera but if you're buying 1 book now to ID them it's an essential purchase. The maps are fairly up to date, though with Orthoptera currently very dynamic, there's always a degree of obsolescence as soon as these things are published, but the best currently available.

It covers every recorded species- including vagrants such as Large Conehead, recent arrivals such as Southern Oak BC + pet shop escapes too. The photos + keys are top notch.

An essential purchase for anyone with an interest in this group. A joy to look at!

thanks a lot aeshna, After that review I'm going to have to buy a copy.

cheers, Ashe

PS. Just been to amazon to order it and theres a copy of Marshall & Haes for only £8.95. Its a second as it has a damaged cover but a real bargain. There must be a WABber in need out there somewhere....

[peterbolson]

I was very interested to see that this is a Field Grasshopper because there don't seem to any records of it from my part of Cumbria (Caldbeck in the Northern Fells ). The online records of Tullie House Museum - Virtual Fauna of Lakeland- say " In Cumbria it appears to be largely confined to the coastal grasslands and to the free-draining soils of the Morecambe Bay limestone and the sandstones of the Eden Valley." and the associated map shows no records from my area.
I would be interested to know what the maps in Evans say.
Peter