Common green grasshopper - Omocestus viridulus - Family: Acrididae

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Common green grasshopper - Omocestus viridulus
© Roger Key/English Nature

The common green grasshopper is usually all or predominantly green but may have brown sides. Its song consists of long 'churrs' starting quietly and getting louder and lasting between 10 and 20 seconds.

This is a species of longish grass, although it will occur in shorter, though not close-cropped turf, if the soils are moist enough. It is generally common over the whole of Britain. This is our earliest grasshopper to appear. The adult is present in June but survives no later than September. Eggs are laid in summer in the soil, hatching the following April.

Food

Plant-feeder on a variety species of grass.

Predators

Bees and wasps, Common lizard, Common shrew, Common toad, Spiders and harvestmen, Wood mouse