Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

Chorthippus albomarginatus

The Lesser Marsh Grasshopper is a small, green insect that loves to hop around in wet grassy areas. They are great at blending in with their surroundings and can be found in many places during the summer.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Lesser Marsh Grasshopper has a slender body, often green or brown, blending into its grassy home. Males typically feature a distinct pale or white stripe along the outer edge of their wing casings. Both sexes have long antennae and powerful hind legs for jumping.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderOrthopteraFamilyAcrididaeGenusChorthippus

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

Interesting facts

Amazingly, these grasshoppers hear with tiny 'ears' located on their abdomen!

Baby grasshoppers, called nymphs, look like tiny adults without wings!

Male Lesser Marsh Grasshoppers have a special white edge on their wing casings!

They shed their skin, called molting, up to six times as they grow!

Special abilities

Lesser Marsh Grasshoppers can launch themselves huge distances because of their strong, spring-loaded hind legs that helps them escape predators.

This grasshopper has natural colors and patterns that helps them blend perfectly into marsh grasses, making them very hard to spot.

Lesser Marsh Grasshoppers can 'sing' by rubbing their legs against their wings, making unique sounds that helps them find a mate.

Female grasshoppers have a special tool called an ovipositor that helps them carefully lay eggs safely underground.

Measurements & details

Wingspan: 25-40 mm
Size: 13-23 mm
Lifespan: 60-120 days
Flight Speed: 5-10 km/h
Leg Count: 6

Diet & Feeding

They munch on many types of grass and other leafy wetland plants.

Primary Foods

grasses
sedges
rushes
small herbaceous plants

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla flava

A tasty snack for this wetland bird.

eaten by

Wasp Spider

Argiope bruennichi

Caught in the intricate web of this striking spider.

eats

Common Bentgrass

Agrostis capillaris

Grazes on the leaves of this common marsh plant.

eats

Soft Rush

Juncus effusus

Feeds on this widespread rush in damp areas.

Traits

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Camouflaged

Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.