About the Meadow Grasshopper
Pseudochorthippus parallelus (often known by its synonym Chorthippus parallelus), the meadow grasshopper, is a common species of grasshopper in the tribe Gomphocerini. It is found in non-arid grasslands throughout the well vegetated areas of Europe and some adjoining areas of Asia. It is a well-studied organism in the discipline of evolutionary biology and was an early and important model system for the study of European phylogeography.
The range of the Meadow Grasshopper extends from the Atlantic coast of Europe, including the British Isles, to the Urals. It is found from Scandinavia in the north to southern Spain and Anatolia in the south. It prefers moist vegetation and in southern regions is typically found in river valleys and at high altitudes (up to approximately 2000 m), but not in arid areas.
Females grow to approximately 2 centimetres (3⁄4 in) and are larger and less active than males, which grow to approximately 1.5 centimetres (5⁄8 in). Both sexes are flightless. In females the wing cases (covering vestigial wings) extend only a short way down the abdomen, whereas in males, the wing cases extend almost to the tip of the abdomen... Wikipedia →