Meadow grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus

Best time to see: late Jun to Oct

Key facts

A grasshopper found in numbers in any sunlit grassland, provided it is not cut too short or too often

Grasshoppers, unlike bush-crickets, have short antennae and are diurnal and vegetarian

Powerful hind legs allow it to leap to safety when threatened

Recognition

Predominantly green, but often with grey or brown stripes on the side of the abdomen; up to 25mm

Short wings, rarely reaching beyond the end of the body

Call consists of a sequence of repeated notes, repeated again every 3–4 seconds

Lifecycle

Eggs are laid into the soil in summer and hatch the following spring

Adults are present from late June onwards