Sallow vs Southern Oak Bush-Cricket

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Sallow Southern Oak Bush-Cricket
Scientific Name Xanthia icteritia Meconema meridionale
Order Lepidoptera Orthoptera
Family Noctuidae Tettigoniidae
Size 30-36 mm wingspan 11-15 mm
Habitat Hedgerows Forests
Diet Herbivores Herbivores
Regions Europe Southern and Western Europe (expanding northward)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Sallow

A pretty golden-yellow moth found in autumn, associated with sallow trees. Adults can be attracted to sugar or wine rope. Larvae feed on sallow catkins before descending to feed on low plants.

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Did You Know?

Larvae begin life eating sallow catkins high in trees, then descend to complete development on ground-level plants.

Southern Oak Bush-Cricket

A small, wingless relative of the oak bush-cricket that has rapidly spread northward across Europe, likely aided by accidental transport in vehicles. It is fully arboreal and flightless.

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Did You Know?

Being flightless, it likely spread across Europe by hitchhiking on cars and trucks parked under infested trees.