Patience, young grasshopper...

I was contemplating - once again - the grass cutting task ahead and noticed the sound. I was really happy to spot this grasshopper straightaway hugging some regrowing grass. Judging by its colour I reckon this was either well camouflaged or just a young grasshopper. It was quite loud and as I was with the dog I was a bit concerned it was going to become yet another one of his victims so I could not take much time taking the photos - sad really as it seemed to pose…

Normally I have a bit of a laugh because I tend to find that the insects that catch my eye live on 'badly managed' land. I was pleased to find here that :

Grasshoppers are common residents to rangelands and undisturbed fields.

I thought that was a nicer way to described land that's just left alone. I reckon that with the wild bird population (and the dog) we have their numbers will be kept well in check, but I will keep an eye just in case.

This encounter also led me to learn the word ‘stridulate’; grasshoppers rub their long hind legs against their wings to produce their characteristic sound - song ? and to remember crickets. Luckily there's plenty of information about these little creatures. I didn't know that the difference was the length of their antennae and, alas, my photo is not clear enough but I guess it's a grasshopper rather than a cricket.

The word grasshopper in Spanish is ‘saltamontes’ so seeing this little creature also reminded me of a bit of family viewing, the TV series Kung Fu.

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all photos by @cryptocariad