Variegated Grasshopper vs Dark Bush-cricket
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Variegated Grasshopper | Dark Bush-cricket |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Zonocerus variegatus | Pholidoptera griseoaptera |
| Order | Orthoptera | Orthoptera |
| Family | Pyrgomorphidae | Tettigoniidae |
| Size | 30-50mm | 15-20mm |
| Habitat | Farmland | Woodlands |
| Diet | Herbivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | Africa | Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Variegated Grasshopper
A brightly colored grasshopper with striking patterns of yellow, green, black, and orange. It feeds on toxic plants and sequesters the toxins for defense. It forms large aggregations.
Did You Know?
It deliberately eats toxic plants to make itself poisonous, and its bright colors warn predators of this.
Dark Bush-cricket
A robust dark brown bush-cricket with vestigial wings. It is common in hedgerows and woodland edges across Europe. Males produce a short sharp chirp repeated at regular intervals.
Did You Know?
Despite being flightless, it has been steadily expanding northward in Europe, likely driven by climate warming.