ORTHOPTERA > CAELIFERA > Acrididae (Grasshoppers) > Gomphocerinae

A widespread, fully winged grasshopper that, from current records, is not as common in some areas of the south, such as Dorset, as its name suggests. It is a largish species with an overall length (head to wingtips) of 15-22mm; females generally being slightly bigger and fuller-bodied than the males. Whilst the general appearance of this species can be quite variable, there are two main colour forms in both sexes. The males tend to be either uniform bright green, or brownish, ranging from olive to khaki, often with yellowish legs. The females may also be uniform green, or green backed with typically sandy-brown sides but, occasionally, with coloured sides that can be anything from pale grey to dark brown, or even purple. The abdomen never has any orange or red in either sex, but can be black banded. The wings are long and lack the costal bulge as found in Chorthippus species. The underside of the thorax is hairy, but not as densely as the Field Grasshopper [Chorthippus brunneus]. The males have long antennae with longer segments.

With variations in colour that may cause confusion, the most reliable character of the species is the pronotum and side keels that gently and evenly curve outwards between the head and the transverse pronotal groove, compared with the far more strongly angled keels, found in both Chorthippus brunneus and Omocestus rufipes, that make those species look as though they have a pinched waist.

The Common Green Grasshopper tends to avoid dry or parched areas, but otherwise may be found in most grassland habitats, particularly those where the grass is lush, such as damp meadows and grassy woodland rides.

The nymphs hatch in April and are normally the first grasshopper species to mature and be seen in numbers with adults appearing in June and typically surviving through to early November.

Their 'song' consists of loud ticks in long bursts lasting from 10 to 30 seconds.

NB. at present, none of the following photos represent the more typical all-green form of this species, probably down to the fact that, at present, I've only found them at one location.