Chorthippus vagans (Eversmann, 1848)

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Status: British Isles native species.

Description: Dark, greyish brown with little variation. The pronotum has incurved side-keels and dark wedge-shaped markings. In mature adults the abdomen develops an orange or orange-red tinge extending to the hind femora, which have two dark bands.

Size: 13-21 mm

Wings: Winged.

Stridulation: Buzzing with a rapid irregular pulse, repeated at varying intervals; similar to the Meadow Grasshopper but slower and louder, lasting 5-6 seconds.

Food: Heather and other heathland plants.

Habitat: Dry heathland, frequently in areas of pure heather without grasses. The eggs are laid just below the surface of the soil.

Phenology: Short season with nymphs hatching in May. Adults appear by late June and July but only survive until October.

Distribution: The records held by the National Biodiversity Network are shown in the map below.

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Only the following datasets are included:

• Biological Records Centre - Grasshopper and Cricket (Orthoptera) and related species records from Britain and Ireland to 2007

Other datasets on the gateway may hold additional information.