These all-singing, all-dancing creatures are the gymnasts of the insect world, able to leap distances of up to 20 times the length of their own body.
The grasshopper hears by their tympanal organ on the first segment of the abdomen.
Grasshopper facts
Scientific name: Caelifera
Family: Orthoptera
Diet: Grass, leaves, corn and other cereal crops
Predators: Birds, beetles, mice, snakes and spiders
Size: 2-3cm
Weight: 300mg
Lifespan: Around one year
About grasshoppers
There are 11 different species of grasshopper native to the UK, although around 30 actually live and breed here.
Often confused with crickets and locusts, grasshoppers are distinguished by their short antennae. They're solitary creatures, only coming together to mate. With powerful, enlarged hind legs, grasshoppers can catapult themselves out of harm's way if they feel threatened. Some species can leap as high as 80cm.
How do grasshoppers sing?
Perhaps one of the most musical insects around, the grasshopper can make an extraordinarily loud chirping sound, known as 'stridulating'. They make this noise by rubbing the row of pegs on their back legs against their forewings. Stridulating is used mainly by males in courtship displays to attract a mate or to compete with rivals.
Grasshoppers and our canals
Grasshoppers spend their lives in and around grass. Grasshoppers are a common sight along our canals. Lined by lush vegetation, they provide natural green corridors.
Grasshoppers measure 2-3cm and are typically green, brown, or grey. Here are a few species you might see along our canals.
Grasshoppers have strong, powerful legs to jump, but they also have wings to fly.
Common field grasshopper
Widespread across the UK, the common field grasshopper is often found in open, sunny, grassy spaces – whether that's a canal bank or your garden. Adults can be seen from June to October. They're mottled brown with barring on the sides and a hairy underside.
Common field grasshoppers are more social than most other species. You might see the males rubbing their legs against their wings to create a single chirrup, regularly repeated, to impress females.
Meadow grasshopper
Meadow grasshoppers like damp pastures and meadows and are found from spring to October. Nymphs emerge as early as April, growing wings and shed their exoskeletons to become adults in June.
The meadow grasshopper's song is a regular 'rrr' sound. They're identified by their short wings and mostly green colouring with a dark stripe that meets the eye. They might also be brown or purplish. Meadow grasshoppers are distinguished from field grasshoppers by their lack of hairy chests.
Common green grasshopper
Widespread from April to September, common green grasshoppers reside in damp meadows, woodlands, and hillsides. They're mostly green but can have brown sides. The common green grasshopper's song is a loud 'chur' sound, lasting 20 seconds or more and reminiscent of a bike wheel.
Mottled grasshopper
These small grasshoppers are found in dry grassland, heathlands, and uplands. With distinctive club-tipped antennae, they can vary in colours, usually mottled in appearance.
The mottled grasshopper's song is a rapid 'zrr zrr' sound that lasts 10 seconds, rising in volume before abruptly stopping.
What do grasshoppers eat?
Grasshoppers are herbivorous, mainly eating grasses, but they can also eat other plant leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds. Sometimes, they might scavenge dead insects for protein.
How do grasshoppers breed?
Male grasshoppers attract females with their unique songs. With successful courtship, the female will lay her eggs in a 'pod' in the soil. This pod protects the eggs over winter before nymphs emerge in the spring, growing into adult grasshoppers in the summer.
Nymphs grow by shedding its hard exoskeleton – which it does around five times. As adults, grasshoppers typically live for around two months to mate and lay eggs before dying in the autumn.
Where do grasshoppers live?
Grasshoppers are found across the UK. They prefer hot, dry weather and are more widespread in the south.
Living in fields, pastures, meadows, and along woodland edges, grasshoppers make their homes in long grass wherever they find a good food source. Grasshoppers don't build nests or territories and are nomadic, known to travel long distances for food.
You might hear the grasshopper's song in the late spring and summer, but have you ever seen one make its impressive jump? Here are our tips to spot grasshoppers.
What's the best time of day to spot grasshoppers?
Grasshoppers are most active during the day but, they're slower in the mornings when temperatures are cooler.
What's the best time of year to spot grasshoppers?
It's best to wait until June or later to spot a grasshopper as they don't reach their full size until late summer or even early autumn.
How do you tell the difference between grasshoppers and crickets?
Grasshoppers and crickets are often mistaken for each other. The difference lies in their appearance – grasshoppers are sausage-shaped with shorter antennae. Crickets can be different shapes but always have long, thin antennae.
