Types of grasshoppers. Descriptions, names and features of grasshopper species

Tettigonia cantans (Fuessly, 1775)
Order Orthoptera - Orthoptera
Family Grasshoppers - Tettigoniidae

Spreading. In the Moscow region. distributed everywhere (1), in its characteristic habitats it is found infrequently, but constantly (2). On the territory of Moscow in 1985-2000. the species was known at 18 natural areas(3). During the revision period, it was recorded in its former habitats - Losiny Ostrov in 2003 (4); Izmailovsky forest in 2005 (5); near Kosinsky Black Lake. in 2007 (6); in Tsaritsyn, incl. valley of the Yazvenka river (5); Bitsevsky forest in 2005 (5), Uzkoy - annually (7); Teplostansky l-ke in 2005-2009. (5, 8); on the Krylatsky hills in 2002-2005. (4, 5, 9-12);

in Serebryany Bor in 2001-2005. (4, 10, 13, 14) and near the Tushino airfield in 2003 (4). New habitats of the species were discovered - in Kuzminsky Lake in 2009 (4); Maryinskaya and Brateevskaya floodplains in 2009 (4, 15); South (16) and North. (17) Butove regularly, incl. in the mustache “Znamenskoye-Sadki” in 2009 (5); the valley of the Setun River above and below the Aminevskoye Highway. in 2003 (9) and 2004 (18), on Starovolynsky meadow in 2005 (5); in the clearings and edges of the Alyoshkinsky forest in 2005 (5); in the valley of the Skhodnya river in Kurkino - along the Mashkinsky stream, in the Yurovskaya, Kurkinskaya and Zakharyinskaya floodplains; in the park " Birch Grove» on the street Kuusinen in 2005 and 2008 (4, 5, 14, 19, 20); GBS in 2005 (5). In 2002-2005 a songbird grasshopper was observed in the residential areas of Krylatskoye (10).

Number. On the territory of Moscow, the species has been registered in 21 natural and natural-anthropogenic territories; in another 4 territories where the song grasshopper was noted in the previous 10 years, its presence is probable. The number of species in different places varies widely: from 5-10 simultaneously recorded individuals in the Teplostansky ravine in 2009 to 100 singing males in the Yazvenka River valley in 2005 (5) and 227 and 544 wasps. on the Krylatsky Hills in 2002 (10, 12) and 2003 (21), respectively. In residential areas of the Krylatskoye district in 2002, several dozen males were counted (10).

Habitat features. In the Moscow region. the species belongs to the clearing-edge entomocomplex (22). On the territory of Moscow it lives in areas with tall grasses, shrubs and separately standing trees in meadows and wastelands, forest clearings and forest edges. It is mainly confined to large natural areas on the periphery of the city, within which areas inhabited by the species with appropriate vegetation and an abundance of insects in the grass stand can occupy a limited area.

Under favorable conditions, the local population is capable of existing for a long time even on an area of about 200 sq.m (22). In small green areas in built-up areas of Moscow there is no (23), but in the surroundings. SPNA - Krylatsky Hills (10) and Tsaritsyn (24) - inhabited front gardens and other areas with natural herbaceous vegetation (tansy, sweet clover, yarrow, wormwood, chicory, etc.) at a distance of hundreds of meters from them. It lays eggs in the soil where they overwinter. The larvae appear at the end of May and stay in tall grass.

Fledging occurs in mid-summer, after which some of the adults move to bushes and trees to a height of 3-5 m. The song grasshopper's diet is mixed, but its diet has not been precisely established. In nature, feeding on plants from this family has been noted. Asteraceae, Rosaceae - with raspberries and blackberries, Umbelliferae - with inflorescences and immature seeds of Siberian hogweed and parsnip, Chenopoaceae - with shoots of goosefoot and quinoa; from animal food - various small insects: aphids, caterpillars, locusts, flies, etc. (4).

When startled, it takes off reluctantly, more often falls into the grass and gets stuck in plant debris. The ability to overcome major obstacles - wide highways - is doubtful. In Moscow, it is an indicator of the preservation of intact edges, clearings and floodplain meadows with tall grass and their characteristic tree and shrub vegetation, as well as the effective performance by green areas and areas of the functions of habitats and ecological corridors for insects living in the grass.

Negative factors. Fragmentation and reduction in the area of semi-open natural biotopes typical of the species due to their development, park landscaping or complete overgrowing with trees and shrubs. Intensive mowing of herbaceous vegetation and removal of bushes during landscaping of river valleys and forest edges. Degradation of grass cover and soil compaction in heavily visited areas.

Complete and widespread replacement of natural grassy vegetation in green areas, incl. intra-block, low-grass grass lawns. The difficulty of preserving large populations of the song grasshopper due to the dissection of biotopes by roads, built-up areas or large areas with short grass lawns. The difficulty of spreading the species in urban conditions and feeding its isolated populations.

Security measures taken. In 2001, the species was listed in the Red Book of Moscow with KR 3. The main known ones, incl. unconfirmed during the audit period, but not lost, its habitats are located in protected areas - in the NP Losiny Ostrov, P-IP Izmailovo, Kosinsky, Kuzminki-Lublino, Tsaritsyno, Bitsevsky Les, Moskvoretsky ", "Tushinsky" and "Ostankino", PP "Valley of the Skhodnya River in Kurkino", PP "Valley of the Setuni River" and LP "Tyoply Stan". It is planned to create the Brateevskaya Floodplain Federal Law and the Butovsky Forest Law Zone.

Change the view state. Status of the species in 2001-2010. significantly improved: with 6 lost populations, 15 new ones were discovered; in previous locations where the song grasshopper was not recorded in the indicated years, the biotopes necessary for it have been preserved and the habitat of the species is assumed. A multiple reduction in its numbers, up to complete disappearance in some areas, occurred in residential areas of the Krylatskoye district due to the replacement of natural grassy vegetation with short-grass lawns (15); for the same reason, the species disappeared in the Birch Grove Park. In general, in the city the total number and distribution of the species have increased noticeably, its CR changes from 3 to 5.

Necessary measures to preserve the species. Termination of development of the Krylatskaya floodplain. Restoration of mixed-grass meadows, converted into short-grass lawns, in the Moskvoretsky, Tsaritsyno and other natural areas. Development and application of a maintenance regime for meadows, forest edges and clearings, which allows them to constantly maintain flowering herbs and prevents excessive overgrowing of open areas with trees and shrubs, as well as preventing spring fires.

Strengthening control over compliance with the ban on burning dry grass and raising awareness among the population about the inadmissibility of these actions. Identification and registration of areas of tall grass meadows suitable for habitat of the species. Allocation in residential areas in the vicinity. Protected areas and strips for restoration of natural herbaceous vegetation. Mandatory formation of mosaic and rare (once per season) mowing on part of the green areas inside urban development; its preservation or restoration along roads and other linear structures to ensure communication between populations of the species.

Information sources. 1. Chernyakhovsky, 1988. 2. Kritskaya, 1978. 3. Red Book of the City of Moscow, 2001. 4. Data from A.P. Mikhailenko. 5. Data from N.A. Sobolev. 6. A.S.Gustov, photo, l.p. 7. A.A. Benediktov, l.s. 8. Benediktov, 2010. 9. Data from V.B. Beiko. 10. Data from N.Yu. Assanova (Zhavoronkina). 11. Data from L.B. Volkova. 12. CJSC "GEO", 2004. 13. TsODP, 2003. 14. Institute of Electrical Economy RAS, TsODP, 2005. 15. A.E. Varlamov, photo, l.p. 16. A.A.Zarodov, l.s., photo. 17. P.V.Korzunovich, l.s., photo. 18. K.A.Petrov, l.s. 19. EFRGS "Ecocity", 2005. 20. TsODP, 2008. 21. Chernyakhovsky, Zhavoronkina, 2004. 22. Author's data. 23. Chernyakhovsky, 1978. 24. M.Yu. Mironov, l.s. Author: M.E. Chernyakhovsky

Recently we looked in detail at the gray grasshopper (see the entry A grasshopper was sitting in the grass... it was gray...), but today the most grasshopper of all grasshoppers is song grasshopper(lat. Tettigonia cantans). He really sits in the grass, he really is green, like a cucumber, but otherwise the children's song tells a lie. Especially about “I didn’t touch the booger and was friends with the flies.” The song grasshopper has an omnivorous diet and an excellent appetite. He happily eats all the small insects he comes across: flies, butterflies, and other small invertebrates. Look at his powerful jaws - with them he can even bite through human skin. By the way, the photo shows a female, this can be understood by the large ovipositor at the end of the body, popularly called a “saber”. I hasten to debunk one of the children's horror stories: with this saber, a grasshopper is not capable of causing any damage to a person, cutting skin, for example; That's why he has jaws. The saber is needed only to lay eggs in the ground. Male grasshoppers do not have such a saber. But they can chirp, but use only their wings for this. And finally, how to distinguish a song grasshopper from a slightly similar one in appearance (the same Green colour) green grasshopper (lat. Tettigonia viridissima): in the song grasshopper, the wings extend slightly beyond the line of the hind legs, slightly extending onto the saber of females. The green grasshopper has much longer wings - almost to the end of the saber.

Song grasshopper(lat. Tettigonia cantans) - a species of insects from the family True grasshoppers of the order Orthoptera. The body length excluding wings is up to 28 mm, the length of the ovipositor in females is 22-31 mm. Both pairs of wings are well developed. The wings extend slightly beyond the shins of the hind legs. The ovipositor in females is developed, strongly protruding beyond the tips of the wings. The main body color is green. The larvae resemble adults, but with underdeveloped wings.

The song grasshopper (Tettigonia cantas) lives everywhere in Europe, it does not go only to the north, but in Asia it penetrates east to Primorye. The song grasshopper is found in the forest zone, on the edges of the forest, and in meadows. In deserts it gravitates towards river valleys and the edges of tugai forests. In Central Asia it penetrates high into the mountains, adhering to gorges with lush grassy vegetation. In gardens, the singing grasshopper prefers bushes and trees, skillfully camouflaging itself in their green foliage. The green elytra of the grasshopper have veining very similar to the veining of a leaf, so it is difficult to notice it sitting motionless.

The song grasshopper is a fairly large grasshopper: its body length reaches 28 millimeters. Slim, beautiful physique. The head from the side looks like a horse's, and the wings fold like a very steep roof. The body is green. The elytra extend slightly beyond the knees of the hind legs. The insect has very long thin whiskers, they are longer than the body.

The song grasshopper is often confused with the green grasshopper (Tettigonia viridissima). The green grasshopper is a different species. These two species are very similar in appearance, and by behavior. The song grasshopper has wider and shorter elytra than the green grasshopper. This difference is easiest to notice in females: the ovipositor, up to 3 centimeters long, is almost completely hidden by the elytra of the female green grasshopper and protrudes far from under the elytra of the female song grasshopper.

The lifespan of the singing grasshopper is short, only a few months, just like its brothers from the genus Tettigonia. Small grasshoppers come out into the world in early May, grow up and by mid-summer mature individuals appear, the time of reproduction begins. After mating, the female lays eggs in the ground, where they overwinter until next year; the female makes several clutches during her life.

Adult grasshoppers settle on bushes, where they occupy certain territory, and protect her from the attacks of other males. During the day, the grasshopper feeds - it hunts for small winged insects, fillies, which it grabs with its powerful jaws and, holding with its front legs, eats. But sometimes he also eats leaves of cereals, and, for example, raspberries. However, this is nothing more than seasoning for a bloody steak.

Singing grasshoppers prefer to stay in bushes or tall grass; they can often be seen on nettles, and often climb trees. Therefore, the chirping of males of this species can be heard from afar. Like all grasshoppers, the chirping sound is produced by the front wings rubbing against each other. Males chirp not only during the mating period, but continue singing until the end of their lives, ending in the fall with the onset of cold weather. The female does not chirp. Each male mates with many females, and each female can mate with many males.

Only males chirp. The chirping sound is made to attract females. In order to see the grasshopper’s “whispering sound,” you need to spread its wings to the side. It’s immediately obvious: the front fenders, right and left, are not the same. One grasshopper wing at the base is dark and dense, and on the other wing in the same place there is a round window covered with a completely transparent film. But this is not a defect, not a deformity, not a mistake of nature, but a peculiar sound apparatus of a grasshopper. At the opaque base of the left wing, which always lies on top, there is a thickened transverse vein, which lies just above the window of the right wing. The window (“mirror”) has a very thick, high frame. When the slightly raised front wings move, a thick vein of the left wing, jagged underneath, rubs against this frame, producing a sound. The sound is amplified by a transparent membrane film stretched tightly over the frame of the right wing. The “bow” is wide in the middle and very narrow towards the ends, but the distances between the teeth are strictly the same along its entire length. That's the whole simple design of the grass jungle singer's musical apparatus. The wings of female song grasshoppers are strictly symmetrical, and there is not even a hint of a musical apparatus on them.

Today I would like to talk about such a frequently encountered insect as the singing grasshopper; everyone has probably heard the “singing” of grasshoppers thousands of times, this chirping that begins to be heard with the onset of evening and sometimes does not stop until the middle of the night. I am sure that many people know where this chirping comes from - it is a male grasshopper calling for a female. But what else do we know about this insect? Let me tell you about the singing grasshopper in a little more detail.

Description of the song grasshopper (Tettigonia cantans):

The song grasshopper or Tettigonia cantans, a fairly close relative of the green grasshopper, but differs from it in body size; in the song grasshopper, the body reaches 24-34 millimeters, and the ovipositor reaches 30 millimeters.

Unlike the green grasshopper (Tettigonia viridissima), the song grasshopper's wings only protrude slightly beyond the abdomen.

The singing grasshopper has rather long mustaches, which are an indicator of “coolness” among males. If several grasshoppers have to live in a small area, for one reason or another, the most important will be the most mustachioed male.

Singing grasshopper lifestyle:

Song grasshoppers live alone, in grass, bushes or trees. Males protect their territory and do not allow strangers there. It happens that grasshoppers have to live in small groups, then the male with the longest antennae becomes the main one, and the rest are differentiated in the same way, according to the length of the antennae.

What does the singing grasshopper eat:

The singing grasshopper has a mixed diet, that is, it can eat both plant and animal (insects) food. During the day, sitting on a branch or in the grass, the singing grasshopper very cleverly catches small insects and eats them with pleasure. By the way, it is worth noting that the jaws of the singing grasshopper are quite strong and can bite through human skin.

Song grasshopper as a food item:

Singing grasshopper house maintenance:

Many people may think that the singing grasshopper is an excellent pet to keep at home, but actually they are right. If you are not bothered by the fact that the pet will not live long, and will chirp without a female in a pair, then feel free to drag it home.

It is not difficult to make a terrarium for a song grasshopper; any container with sufficient ventilation, approximately 40x30x30 in size for 2-3 song grasshoppers, will do. How make an insectarium with your own hands read . Information about the amount of space required was taken from the Internet; at home I kept them in spartan conditions, about 5-6 individuals in a 12-liter aquarium in a vertical orientation, gradually feeding them to the spider.

It is recommended to sprinkle sawdust at the bottom of the container, and place a jar of wet peat in the corner, into which the female will lay larvae. I think any substrate will do, even soil from the street, with the proviso that you will then have to look for the eggs of the singing grasshopper by hand. You should also place various driftwood and sticks in the container to increase the usable area and allow the grasshopper to climb branches.

The singing grasshopper should be fed with insects; at home you can feed feeding insects such as marble or Turkmen cockroach , you should also offer greens, in the form of various plants from the street.

Song grasshopper eggs along with the substrate should be removed at the end of August and placed in the refrigerator until the end of February. Then they are removed and the little singing grasshoppers are waited for to emerge.

I hope you liked the article and it was informative; you can see photographs of other insects in Russia in the special

Spotting a grasshopper in the grass is not an easy task. It's much easier to hear it. The chirping of these amazing creatures is one of the essential sounds for our perception of summer. Without the "songs" of grasshoppers and summer evening- not evening. Usually children and adults catch small grasshoppers, but in the garden you can also find a very well-fed “monster” with a body size of up to five to six centimeters long and a mustache twice as long. Such insects often seem lazy and unhurried, but this impression is deceptive. Grasshoppers are predatory and nocturnal animals; if you notice them during the day, then most likely they are resting after a successful night hunt.

Do you see a grasshopper? And he is there.

An inexplicable misconception of most summer residents considers all relatively large chirping and jumping insects to be locusts. But in reality, both grasshoppers and locusts can be both large and very miniature. The main difference between these different insects is the principle of food production. Grasshoppers are predators and hunt at night, while locusts are consumers of all plant matter and feed during the day. The external differences between grasshoppers and locusts can be very relative. In particular, there is a mention on the Internet that the grasshopper has a predatory face, and the locust has a stupid face, although in my humble opinion, it is also difficult to recognize grasshoppers as pronounced carriers of intelligence. A few more exterior characteristics of grasshoppers: long mustaches (equal to or greater than the length of the body), dexterous and developed front legs, a short and massive abdomen, and a “sword” ovipositor in females.

One of the most common in our summer cottages is a singing grasshopper. This is exactly what I photographed in the thickets of grass at the height of the bright sunny day. The grasshopper was so lazy to move that he allowed me to just poke the camera in his face. Recognizing the strong green girl as my sister out of laziness, I took a few shots and, politely thanking the model for her calmness, left. An hour later, the grasshopper was still sitting in the same place. He probably gobbled up something big and tasty at night.

Name

Song grasshopper

Synonyms and names in other languages

Heupferd (German).

Classification

Type/Department: Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subtype/Subdivision: Tracheata (Tracheata, or tracheal breathing (parous)

Superclass: Hexapoda (Six-legged) Class: Insecta (Insects)

Squad/Order: Orthoptera (Orthoptera)

Suborder/Suborder: Ensifera (Longwhiskered Orthoptera)

Superfamily: Tettigonioidea

Family: Tettigoniidae (True grasshoppers)

Genus: Tettigonia (Tettigonia)

View: Tettigonia cantans (Grasshopper)

Widely distributed, lives in Europe and the European part of Russia, in North Africa and in the Middle East. It is also found in Siberia and the Far East.

They live mainly in meadows, clearings, and forest edges. They prefer to sit on the tops of grasses, are found on nettles, and can climb trees and shrubs.

Appearance

Body length 2.5 - 3 cm.

Color bright green.

The elytra are short and wide.

Sexual dimorphism pronounced, females have a long ovipositor.

Feeding

Grasshoppers are predatory insects; in captivity, their diet should consist of 90% insects - live insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, and small cockroaches are suitable. 10% of the diet can be plant foods - lettuce, clover and dandelion foliage, raspberry foliage and cereals are also suitable. Cereals can also be sprouted in hydroponics in winter.

Instead of a drinking bowl, it is better to offer hydrogel to insects.

Breeding

Grasshoppers are dioecious insects with incomplete metamorphosis, that is, in their development they bypass the pupal stage. After mating, the female lays eggs in a container with moist soil (peat or coconut substrate is also suitable), reproduction in grasshoppers is seasonal, so the container with the substrate is kept in the terrarium until August, and then until February it is kept in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, by spring, after When the eggs are moved into a warm place, they begin to develop and larvae emerge from the eggs. It is better to keep them in spacious terrariums with a very fine mesh for ventilation. Branches are important for decoration; grasshoppers sitting on them molt well and correctly; without them, molting problems are possible. The branches also increase the area of the terrarium and reduce the likelihood of cannibalism. Young grasshoppers are fed with large insects and dandelion leaves and flowers; you can also give other greens.

Temperature 23 - 25 degrees.

Humidity air 50 - 60%.

Lifespan imago is about 6 months old.

Content complexity

Males sing loudly.

Short lifespan.

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