Saving the small things that run the planetLatin name: Omocestus viridulus
Notable feature: The side-keels of the pronotum (top of the thorax) are gently incurved. Different colour forms of this species can be found across the UK, but all have the incurved pronotum side-keels.
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Where in the UK: Records from across the UK except the very far north of Scotland. Native.
The Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus) is usually green or green and brown in colour. There is never any red or orange on the abdomen. Females are always green dorsally (along the top of them) though green, brown, or purple colours can be seen elsewhere on an individual. The side-keels on the top of the pronotum are gently incurved and the palps on their face may be pale in colour but are never chalk white.
Both males and females of this species have wings – in females the wings do not usually exceed the length of the body; in males the wings often protrude beyond the abdomen.
Join a recording scheme and log your finds – send any records/sightings to the Grasshopper and related insect recording scheme for Britain and Ireland or download the iRecord Grasshoppers app and get recording!
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