David Element
Wildlife
Photography and Digital Video Images
_____________________________________________
Grasshoppers and Crickets 40 – Blue-winged Grasshoppers
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens BLUE-WINGED GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda
caerulescens
BLUE-WINGED
GRASSHOPPER Oedipoda caerulescens
·
The
ability of cryptically camouflaged grasshoppers and crickets to blend in with
their habitats is quite extraordinary, a marvel of evolution, and the Blue-winged Grasshopper Oedipoda caerulescens, an often abundant inhabitant of dry, often rocky terrain
in continental Europe and the Channel Islands, is an excellent example of a
species that relies on not being noticed by predators, remaining motionless
unless directly threatened, whereupon the pale blue flash colouration will be
employed as a confusion tactic as the grasshopper takes flight. Females are
larger than males, but their abdomens are normally obscured by their wings and
hindlegs in photographs, so if a closer view of the morphology is required then
the insects will probably need to be handled. These insects are tolerant of a
close, steady (and often rather undignified) approach by photographers, and at
some point, they will normally take off, exposing the colour of their
hindwings, thus assisting with their identification without any need for
capture! The grasshoppers will usually land not too far away, once more
rendering themselves invisible if they alight - ideally on a background of a
similar colour to themselves. This species is extremely variable in appearance,
as will be evident from these photographs, but there are normally two or three
darker bands visible on the forewings helping to break up its outline. There
are several similar species, but these lack the characteristic ‘steps’ on the
femurs. Some of these also have blue hindwings, and others red, in which case
it will immediately be evident that they are not this species once they have
taken flight. The above photographs of this geographically widespread species
were obtained in France, Italy, and Portugal.
·
David’s
film of Blue-winged Grasshoppers may be found on this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4AirIEc0Nocv0Tjw-fnE-ZZnVrGmXd39.
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