David Element
Wildlife Photography and Digital Video Images
__________________________________________________Grasshoppers
and Crickets 10 – Southern Oak Bush Crickets
SOUTHERN
OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema
meridionale
(m)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(f)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(f)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(f) SOUTHERN
OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale (f)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(m)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(f)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(m)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema
meridionale (f) SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(m)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale (m)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale (m)
SOUTHERN OAK BUSH CRICKET Meconema meridionale
(m)
- The Southern Oak Bush Cricket Meconema meridionale
is a relatively new arrival in the UK (in 2001), apparently quite an
achievement for a flightless insect until one takes the possible
mechanisms for its arrival into account. The first sighting was made
in Surrey by Roger Hawkins, a significant find as at the time this was the
first new British orthopteroid species to be
discovered for more than 60 years (although there have been other examples
since). As it cannot fly this insect is believed to have been accidentally
imported from Continental Europe in consequence of human activities.
Southern Oak Bush Crickets have probably been accidentally imported on
vehicles or on produce and have been the subject of several articles in
the entomological press. Once, when looking from the top deck of a London
bus the photographer recently saw one hitching a lift on the rear of an
Aston Martin, so they sometimes travel in style! The vestigial wings and
the shape of the gently curved ovipositor of the female enable the
observer to make a distinction between this species and the closely
related Oak Bush
Cricket M. thalassinum
which is fully winged as an adult. These two species seem to cohabit in
France and the range of the Southern Oak Bush Cricket has expanded
considerably in continental Europe recently. It is certainly establishing
itself around the London area and because of its habit of coming indoors
it may be seen more easily than most other bush crickets. Examples are
seen annually inside the photographer’s house. The above photographs were
taken in the UK, France and Switzerland.
- David’s
film of a Southern Oak Bush Cricket
may be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6ZWwJC4kCc&list=PL4AirIEc0Nocv0Tjw-fnE-ZZnVrGmXd39&index=10&t=0s.
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