Bird, bug, butterfly and a wild variety of photos from Belarus, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Spain by Irish wildlife photographer Patrick J. O'Keeffe and invited guests

Monday 25 March 2013

SPECKLED BUSH CRICKET (Leptophyes punctatissima) male on 2nd September 2012 at Ireland's Eye, Howth, Fingal,Co. Dublin, Ireland


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Click external link here for detailed species information
 
The Speckled Bush Cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) is of the family Tettigoniidae which is in the genus Leptophyes. This flightless insect occurs across most of Europe as well as parts of the Middle East. 
In Ireland it is very uncommon and apparently has a very restricted range in the southeastern as well as southern regions but in all probability is under recorded. It occurs in a wide variety of vegetative habitats, including hedgerows, parks and gardens where its cryptic colouration help it to avoid predation. In late autumn, eggs are laid on plant stems and on tree bark. They hatch out as nymphs in May the following year. The adult stage is from August to early November. A bat detector set to 40khz can be used to locate calling adults.
 
Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds