OTHER NAMES: Wart-Biter Cricket, Water-biter Bush Cricket
Latin Translation: Decticus (?) verrucivorus ("verruca eater")
Adult female Wart-biter (subspecies D. v. verrucivorus) in the Dolomites, Italy - July 2004
Featured Subspecies: Decticus verrucivorus verrucivorus
Length: 32-37mm (+21mm ovipoistor on females) / Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern
The Wart-biter is a large distinctive looking cricket found in Europe, however it is very rare in the UK - limited only to a very few sites in South East England. However, in Europe it is a bit more common, and I found a number of individuals in the Alpine Meadows of the Dolomites just in the grasslands. The distinctive name comes from the medieval use of its powerful jaws as a way of removing warts.
Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Tettigoniidae
Genus: Decticus
SUBSPECIES: D. v. assiduus, D. v. brevipennis, D. v. crassus, D. v. gracilis, D. v. longipennis, D. v. mithati, D. v. monspeliensis, D. v. stoljarovi, D. v. verrucivorus
- Sighting Locations -
ITALY - A fairly common resident in suitable habitat
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
No comments:
Post a Comment