Mottled grasshopper

13 Wednesday Jul 2022

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Aberbargoed spoil tip, British grasshoppers, grasshopper, insects on coal spoil, Mottled grasshopper, Myrmeleotettix maculatus

While I was sweltering in the heat on the Aberbargoed tip last week, I was being serenaded by the local wildlife, the twee-twee-twee of Siskin calling to each other in the scattered trees above me, and the rasping of grasshoppers on the scree slopes around my feet. When one of those little raspers stayed still long enough for a few photos, I realised they were a species I’d not seen before, Mottled grasshoppers (Myrmeleotettix maculatus). Their preference for dry places means the south-facing slopes of the coal spoil provide the perfect habitat, and they are a common sight on the former coal tips of the Welsh Valleys.

220713 mottled grasshopper

242/365 Grappling grasshoppers

30 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature

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#365DaysWild, British insects, grasshopper, grasshoppers mating, Meadow grasshopper

‘Aw, isn’t that sweet?’ I thought when I spotted this couple of Meadow grasshoppers today. ‘He’s got his arm around her.’

190830 Common green grasshopper (1)

Of course, there was a bit more going on than that and, as I watched, another part of his anatomy swung around her body to make contact with her vital parts. No wonder he’s got a glint in his eye!

190830 Common green grasshopper (2)

218/365 Hopalong grasshopper

06 Tuesday Aug 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, nature

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#365DaysWild, British insects, Common field grasshopper, grasshopper, insects, St Augustine's Church

I spotted this Common field grasshopper sitting on a gravestone in St Augustine’s churchyard yesterday. I see a huge number of grasshoppers and crickets but usually only as they’re hopping rapidly away from me. So, I was intrigued as to why this one didn’t jump away.

190806 common field grasshopper (1)

Looking closer, I noticed it had suffered some damage along its right side and had lost its large back leg on that side, so it was no longer able to leap. Luckily, it was still able to scuttle off into the grass – otherwise, it would have been a sitting target for a hungry bird, and that might well be how it got injured in the first place.

190806 common field grasshopper (2)

Botanising, with insects

30 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by sconzani in animals, birds, insects, molluscs, nature, slugs

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Tags

Bloody-nosed beetle, Brynna, Click beetle, Glamorgan Botany Group, grasshopper, moths, Nettle weevil, rooster, sheep, slugs

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I returned from my last Botany Group walk with more photos of insects – and other living creatures – than plants. The Gorse weevil got a blog of its own yesterday; now here are some of our other finds.

Firstly, a couple more weevils, both on nettle and the second one is definitely a Neetle weevil (Phyllobius pomacues) but I’m not sure about the first. The Click beetle was also found on nettle.

These two were at a farm we passed through; the sheep was lording it over the home paddock and the rooster was king of the farmyard. Both handsome dudes!

A nice little grouping of slug species, with their small friend, the Granny Grey, and a grasshopper. There were lots of these hopping round on grass and rushes in a boggy field. It may be a juvenile Meadow grasshopper but I’m not 100% sure.

A little flock of Micropterix cathella moths were feasting on this grass flower, and there were lots of other small moths, probably one of the Bactra species, plus an unidentified spider with a distinctive striped body.

And last, but certainly not least, these Bloody-nosed beetles (Timarcha tenebricosa). The photo on the left shows the chubby larva and on the right is the adult beetle munching on a grass stalk.