About the Speckled Bush-Cricket
The speckled bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) is a flightless species of bush-cricket belonging to the family Tettigoniidae. The species was originally described as Locusta punctatissima in 1792. The speckled bush-cricket is common across much of Europe. It ranges from the British Isles, France, Poland and Belgium in the west to the European parts of Russia in the east, and from southern Scandinavia in the north to southern Italy, Bulgaria and Greece. It has been recorded as far south as Israel. It is also present in the Nearctic realm.
This species mainly occurs in dry shrubby environments, in open woodland, in scrub, hedgerows and in gardens, with birch, bramble and gorse. The nymphs can be found in low vegetation while adults are more likely to be found high up in trees.
The speckled bush-cricket can reach a body length of about 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in). It is green with minute black speckles all over its body (more evident in the nymphs), as reflected in the common and Latin name of the species. Its colouring and secretive lifestyle, hidden away in the undergrowth, means that it often passed unnoticed. The dorsal surface... Wikipedia →