Chinese Grasshopper (Acrida cinerea)

OTHER NAMES: Oriental Longheaded Locust
Latin Etymology: Acrida ("locust") cinerea ("ashy")

Adult Chinese Grasshopper (subspecies A. c. cinerea) at Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan - June 2013

Featured Subspecies: Acrida cinerea cinerea
Length: 5-7cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NOT EVALUATED IN UK / IUCN Red List: Data Deficient

Like many insect species in Japan, it is very hard to actually find much information in English on them outside of their broad taxonomy.  I found this individual while walking along the river at Arashiyama in the suburbs of Kyoto, and it mainly stuck out due to the enormous size compared to most UK species, with those enormous back legs relative to the slenderness of it's body.  This individual had unfortunately lost one of its legs somehow prior to me seeing it.

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Acrida
Subspecies: A. c. cinerea, A. c. willemsei

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - ショウリョウバッタ  /  Shōryōbatta ("Show Ryo Grasshopper")

 Resident seen in Summer..

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: A single individual along the river at Arashiyama.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto  .

Green Mountain Grasshopper (Miramella alpina)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Miramella (?) alpina ("Alpine")

Adult Green Mountain Grasshopper (subspecies M. a. alpina) in the Dolomites, Italy - July 2004

Featured Subspecies: Miramella alpina alpina
Wingspan: ?  /  Length: 16-30mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

I saw this species on my trip to the Dolomites in Italy and it was fairly common in the alpine meadows of the mountains.  It is found in Central Europe from France to Poland and mainly in moist habitats including the aforementioned meadows, plus wet clearings and open woods.  They are a very brightly coloured species, a much more vivid green than the species back in the UK, which is what made me spot it, plus the fact it had landed on my hiking pole!

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Miramella
Subspecies: M. a. alpina, M. a. subalpina

 - Sighting Locations -

ITALY - Italian: ?

A fairly common resident of mountain meadows

 - DOLOMITES 2001 TRIP: A seen at various points in the Dolomites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Meadow Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Chorthippus (?) parallelus ("parallel")

Adult Meadow Grasshopper (subspecies C. b. brunneus) at Geddington, Northants - July 2010

Featured Subspecies: Chorthippus parallelus brunneus
Length: 10-23mm  /  Wingspan: ? 
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

Along with the Common Field Grasshopper, the Meadow Grasshopper is one of the two common grasshopper species found in Britain.  However, it is a little smaller than the other species, and green rather than the (usual) brown of the Field Grasshopper.  This particular individual had lost one of its hind legs, but was still capable of the spectacularly large jumps that grasshoppers are famed for,

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Chorthippus
SUBSPECIES: N/A

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident seen in Summer

 - Common around Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)

OTHER NAMES: Field Grasshopper

Latin Etymology: Chorthippus (?) brunneus ("brown")

Adult Common Field Grasshopper (subspecies C. b. brunneus) at Geddington, Northants - July 2010

Featured Subspecies: Chorthippus brunneus brunneus
Length: 15-25mm  /  Wingspan: ? 
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A very common and widely variable species found in heath and grasslands throughout the UK and Europe, as well as North Africa and some of Asia.  It is fairly ubiquitous in Britain as one of the most species. While most commonly brown like the one above, the species can be green, purple and black among others.  Like many grasshoppers, they are often quite easy to hear from the undergrowth before you see them.

Related Species:
Order: Orthoptera
Family: Acrididae
Genus: Chorthippus 
SUBSPECIES: C. b. brevis, C. b. brunneus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident seen in Summer

 - Common around Geddington

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .