David Element
Wildlife
Photography and Digital Video Images
___________________________________________________Grasshoppers
and Crickets 7 - Long-winged Cone-heads
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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