David Element
Wildlife
Photography and Digital Video Images
___________________________________________________Grasshoppers
and Crickets 7 - Long-winged Cone-heads
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (m)
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (m)
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus
fuscus (f)
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (f)
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (f)
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (f)
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (m) extra-macropterous
LONG-WINGED
CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (f) LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (f) extra-macropterous
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus
fuscus (m)
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus
fuscus (m) extra-macropterous
LONG-WINGED
CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (f) LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (m) extra-macropterous
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus
fuscus (f) extra-macropterous
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus
fuscus (f) extra-macropterous
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus
fuscus (f) extra-macropterous
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (m) nymph
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (m) nymph
LONG-WINGED CONE-HEAD Conocephalus fuscus (f) nymph
- A partial life history of the Long-winged
Cone-head Conocephalus fuscus is
illustrated. The early stages with their black dorsal stripes may be very
easily confused with those of the Short-winged
Cone-head Conocephalus dorsalis and
discovery of adults may help with the identification of the nymphs.
Although this latter species is more likely to be seen in wetter locations
mixed populations do occur. Females are more readily characterised because
of the presence of the distinctive long ovipositor (which is an entirely
different shape from that of C.
fuscus, even in the later nymphal stages). This insect is a
relatively recent self-introduction to the UK (1931). Originally confined
to the southernmost Counties in localised colonies for about sixty years,
there was a very rapid population explosion during the early 1990s. The
extra-macropterous migratory forms are believed to develop during periods
of population overcrowding. These longer-winged individuals can presumably
cover greater distances when seeking out suitable locations for new
colonies and they have almost certainly facilitated the very rapid spread
of this species in the UK recently in response to the warming climate.
This formerly rare and notable insect is now common.
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and Crickets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
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