Ruspolia nitidula
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Ruspolia nitidula, the large conehead, is a species of bush cricket belonging to the subfamily Conocephalinae of the family Tettigoniidae. It is found throughout Europe, Africa, and the Palearctic part of Asia. A vernacular name that has been used is "cone-headed grasshopper", although it is not a grasshopper, but rather a bush cricket.
The species is green, large, and slender with a cone-shaped head. The apex of the head has a cream-colored band that goes through it and the eyes. Its size ranges from 32–60 mm (1.3–2.4 in). The wings of both sexes extend further than the abdomen. They are able to produce a high-pitched buzzing sound.
It is native to central and southern Europe where it can be found on riverbanks and other wet areas that have long grass. The species has been expanding northwards in Europe in recent decades. Populations have been established in southern Britain. The species can be found from July to October. It is also native to Africa and the Palearctic part of Asia.
The cricket is commonly eaten in Uganda and the sale of them brings in a large amount of income. The price per unit weight is periodically higher than that... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 2 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Large Conehead sighting in Pyrénées National Park on a given day, based on 62 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 189th most-seen of the 1277 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Large Conehead in Pyrénées National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November to June, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Large Conehead sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Large Conehead sightings, Pyrénées National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Triglav National Park (Slovenia, about 10%).
Same family: Tettigoniidae
The closest relatives of the Large Conehead that you can see in Pyrénées National Park (family Tettigoniidae, Katydids) are Wart-Biter (about 20%), Western Saddle Bush-Cricket (about 20%) and Great Green Bush-Cricket (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Large Conehead is recorded against all the insects logged in Pyrénées National Park (62 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
