Wart-biter Bush-cricket Species Recovery
Continuing the work achieved by our Changing Chalk Project, Buglife is leading a partnership project to monitor existing populations and establish a new population of one of Britain’s rarest insects, the Endangered Wart-biter Bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus).
The Wart-biter Bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus) is a species that prefers high-quality, species-rich, chalk grassland, with a mixed structure where it is more or less confined to the sunnier slopes. Habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation means it is currently known from just six sites in the UK and is therefore classed as Endangered.
Although a fairly large insect (measuring 3-4cm) it is elusive and often difficult to see. Despite having wings, it does not fly, meaning that it cannot disperse to new sites.
- Name of Project: Wart-biter Bush-cricket Species Recovery Project
- Duration of Project: July 2026 – September 2028
- Location of Project: Sussex, Kent, Wiltshire
- Species benefiting from Project: Wart-biter Bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus)
- Project funded by: Natural England (via the Species Recovery Programme), National Lottery Heritage Fundthrough the Changing Chalk project, MW Topps, Chapman Charitable Trust, Marjory Coote Animal Charity Trust, Private donations including ‘With thanks to the family and friends of the late John Delf’.
What will the project do?
Working with our official project partners, Natural England and Kent Wildlife Trust, this project aims to establish how well the Wart-biter is currently faring at its known sites and whether populations are expanding out of these core areas.
Monitoring work will be undertaken with contractors, staff and volunteers and we hope to train more volunteers to get involved.
We are also establishing a new population in Sussex, and identifying suitable sites for future translocations.
We are also working with the Royal Entomological Society, South East Water, Sussex Wildlife Trust, private landowners. The project aims to work with landowners to improve land management for Wart-biters.
Captured Wart-biter Bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus) © Alice Parfitt Planned outcomes:
- Undertake assessments at core sites to see to what extent populations have expanded into the surrounding habitat, and advise land managers on appropriate management for the species to allow for expansion from core sites.
- Establish a new population of Wart-biters in Sussex through translocations over a four-year period (years one and two now completed).
- Train volunteers to contribute to Wart-biter monitoring on core sites.
- Assess suitability of potential receptor sites to establish new populations of Wart-biters in the future. Advise on the management needed to bring them into favourable condition for Wart-biter releases.
How can I get involved?
Anyone interested in volunteering with the Wart-biter project, please contact [email protected]. Surveys are undertaken in July and August each year when adult Wart-biters are active.
To find out more about the crickets and grasshoppers of Britain, get involved with recording these fascinating creatures with the Orthoptera Recording Scheme.
You can also log your finds on the iRecord app. 🦗
Volunteers at Wart-biter Bush-cricket translocation release site in Sussex © Beccy M This project is funded by: Natural England (via the Species Recovery Programme), National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Changing Chalk project, MW Topps, Chapman Charitable Trust, Marjory Coote Animal Charity Trust, Private donations including ‘With thanks to the family and friends of the late John Delf’.
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