Leptophyes punctatissima (Bosc, 1792)

Speckled Bush Cricket

Taxonomy: 

  • Orthoptera›Ensifera›Tettigonioidea›Tettigoniidae›Phaneropterinae›Leptophyes punctatissima

Status: 

UK

Distribution

Recordings

  • The Speckled Bush-Cricket is only audible with a bat detector, making a distinctive tick every few seconds.
  • 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: 

A small, green bush cricket with a brown stripe on the back and tiny dark speckles covering the whole body. The ovipositor is broad and upturned.

Size: 

9-18 mm

Wings: 

Both sexes have very short, reduced wings.

Stridulation: 

The song is an almost inaudible chirp repeated at intervals, best picked up with a bat detector.

Food: 

Herbivorous, feeding on a range of shrubs and other vegetation.

Habitat: 

Open woodland, scrub, gardens and hedgerows. Eggs are laid in the bark of trees or shrubs.

Phenology: 

Adults present from late July or early August until November.