Omocestus haemorrhoidalis - Orange-tipped Grasshopper
(Charpentier, 1825)
Description: Small, greyish to reddish-brown species, the upperside is almost never green (♂ 11-14 mm, ♀ 15-20 mm). Male's abdomen red or orange at the tip. Wings a bit shorter than the hind knee. Pronotum is longer than head, the side keels are angularly curved. The labial palp is grey.
Similar species: Omocestus petraeus: pronotum is shorter; Myrmeleotettix maculatus: antennae are different; Stenobothrus stigmaticus: side keels of pronotum are only slightly bent.
Adults: from June to October.
Song: The faint song (hearable up to 5 m) consists of chirps of 2-6 sec. long which becomes increasingly louder. The syllables follow each other more quickly than in other Omocestus species, so the sound is a more pleasant hum.
Source: Orthoptera Species File (lab recording, 24 °C)
Habitat: Dry grasslands, pastures. Even in degraded habitats.
Distribution: Widespread but not common.
Omocestus haemorrhoidalis, male
(Author: Gilles San Martin, source: flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0)
Omocestus haemorrhoidalis, female
(Author: Gilles San Martin, source: flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0)
Omocestus haemorrhoidalis, upperside of head and pronotum
(Author: Gilles San Martin, source: flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0)