ORTHOPTERA > ENISFERA > Tettigoniidae (Bush-crickets)

This nationally scarce bush-cricket is very much associated with coastal habitats along the south coast of the country from Kent to Cornwall, but also with a few known outlying colonies in North Devon and Somerset, South Wales and East Anglia.

It is a robust, fully winged, medium-sized, 18-28mm long (head to wingtips) species that is primarily greyish-brown in colour often with blackish flecks or markings that may merge together into patches notably on the side plates of the pronotum. Some individuals have a mottled appearance, whilst others may have reddish-brown tones on the top of the head and pronotum, and/or a greenish abdomen. The hind femora are often black streaked. The wings are noticeably long and the female has a black upturned ovipositor.

Platycleis albopunctata may be found sunbathing on vegetation during the day, but like some of the other bush-crickets are mainly nocturnal during the hotter summer months, becoming more active in the day later in the season.

The preferred habitat is coastal grassland and scrub on clifftops and higher elevations, and on dunes, shingle and soft-rock undercliffs where there is some vegetation. They may also be found in modified areas, such as well-trodden chines in popular tourist areas.

Adults normally appear in July and persist through to the autumn.