ORTHOPTERA > ENISFERA > Tettigoniidae (Bush-crickets)

Although this nationally scarce, declining species has scattered distribution across a large area of the country, including a site just across the Scottish border in Dumfries and Galloway, it is far more likely to be found in the south. It is generally restricted to boggy areas or wet heathland where Cross-leaved Heath [Erica tetralix] and Purple Moor-grass [Molinia caerulea] occurs. Occasionally it may be found in drier places such as woodland clearings, but in the main its requirements tend to limit its occurrence to areas of raised bog and, more specifically in the south, lowland wet heath and valley mire typical of habitat that can be found in areas of the New Forest and on Dorset Heaths.

As its name suggests, Metrioptera brachyptera is short-winged and flightless, although very occasionally fully winged individuals, form marginata, may be produced. The normal form has vestigial hindwings and shortened forewings that are typically little more than half the length of the abdomen. They can vary in size quite considerably from 12-22mm (head to tip of abdomen), but with males normally averaging 14mm or so and the females slightly larger at around 16mm plus their ovipositor that can protrude a further 9mm. There are two main colour forms or variations thereof. The first is overall brown, normally with a green belly and often, but not always, with green on the lower sides of the femurs. The other form has green on top of the head and pronotum, also partially on the wings, and sometimes on the femurs.

The darker forms may be confused with either the Dark Bush-cricket [Pholidoptera griseoaptera] or, more likely, Roesel's Bush-cricket [Roseliana roeselii], although both of these species are normally found in different habitat. Whereas Roseliana roeselii has a prominent pale margin that wraps right around the side flaps of the pronotum, Metrioptera brachyptera only has a pale border on the hind part. It also lacks the pale thoracic spots behind the sides of the pronotum that are generally present on Roseliana roeselii.

Nymphs appear in May and adults by July, persisting through the summer months until mid-October, possibly later in mild autumns.