I was very excited to find a Roesel’s bush-cricket (Metrioptera roeselii) earlier this week, only my second ever sighting of one of these handsome beasts, so I was quite surprised to read on British Wildlife Wiki that it is ‘becoming one of the most commonly found Orthoptera in the country, and makes up about 16% of records.’ The entry goes on to state that this bush-cricket

used to be found uniquely on the inland side of saltmarshes, and in coastal regions around estuaries, on the North Sea coast. It is becoming increasingly common in southeast England, as well as spreading further north. Over the past 50 years it has ranged further to the west, and large numbers have settled in areas of urban wasteland, especially near railways. It is generally found below 100 metres altitude. Extension to the species range has increased substantially since 1985. [The Orthoptera & Allied Insects website has a particularly interesting map that shows this range extension.]

Once I got over my excitement, I couldn’t help wondering who Roesel had been. Turns out August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof (1705-1759), was a German entomologist, who was also interested in many other creatures and was a talented painter – his illustrations of frogs look particularly fine.