Metrioptera brachyptera (Linnaeus, 1761)

Bog Bush Cricket

Taxonomy: 

  • Orthoptera›Ensifera›Tettigonioidea›Tettigoniidae›Decticinae›Metrioptera brachyptera

Status: 

UK

Distribution

Recordings

  • Calling song at lower temperature.
  • The Bog Bush-Cricket has a distinct chuffing sound when heard through a bat detector.
  • Calling song.

Colours show the year of the last record -

  up to 1987   1988-97   1998 up to present

Only Recording Scheme datasets are included. Other datasets on the Gateway may hold additional information.

Open the NBN Atlas interactive map in a new window.

Description: 

Green or brown but with bright green underside. The pronotum has a cream-coloured band only on the hind edge (unlike Roesel’s Bush Cricket, where the band goes all the way round the pronotum).

Size: 

11-21 mm

Wings: 

Short-winged (brachypterous), with only vestigial hind-wings and short fore-wings. There is a rare fully winged form, f. marginata with brownish-black wings.

Stridulation: 

Soft but shrill buzz like rapidly ticking watch

Food: 

Mainly vegetarian, feeding on buds, seeds and flowers.

Habitat: 

Lowland heaths and clearings in damp heathy woodland. Eggs are inserted into vegetation by means of the ovipositor.

Phenology: 

Nymphs hatch in May and June. Adults from July until late autumn.