31 days to go to Insect Week

Crickets & grasshoppers

ORDER: ORTHOPTERA

(Ancient Greek - ortho = sheath ; pteron = wing)

Often found in larger gardens where grass and native trees are allowed to go a little wild, feed on plants.

Insects in this order

Great green bush cricket
©Archie Mathison Tettigonia viridissima Family: Tettigoniidae This family contains more than 6,400 species, ranging from 5mm in length to as long as 130mm. Known as the katydids and bushcrickets, there are 11 species in the UK that belong to this family. They can be distinguished from grasshoppers...
Lesser Marsh Grasshopper
© Roger Key Chorthippus albomarginatus female Grasshoppers are jumping insects with short antennae, they are often camouflaged within their grassland habitat with brown and green colours. They make sound or 'stridulate' by rubbing a peg on their hind femur against a thickened vein on the...
Oak bush-cricket
© Roger Key Oak bush-cricket ( Meconema thalassinum ) Found living in ancient woodlands, hedgerows, gardens and parks, the oak bush-cricket. This species lives in tree and shrub canopies and the adults are strong flyers...

What is Insect Week?

Insect Week encourages people of all ages to learn more about insects.

The Royal Entomological Society organises the week, supported by a large number of partner organisations with interests in the science, natural history and conservation of insects.