Bow-winged grasshopper

Chorthippus biguttulus

''Chorthippus biguttulus'', the bow-winged grasshopper, is one of the most common species of grasshopper found in the dry grassland of northern and central Europe. It is part of a group of species that are very difficult to identify morphologically. ''Chorthippus biguttulus'' was previously classified as a single species ''Stauroderus variabilis''. The three species were distinguished using song characteristics.
Bow-winged grasshopper - male, Heeswijk-Dinther, Netherlands Species ID tentative. It's a visual match yet there's two competing species that look near identical. This particular is far more numerous, so statistically the more likely one. I'll see if I can get more certainty from an expert. This one was heating up on a fallen tree, probably the reason is was unusually cooperative. https://www.jungledragon.com/image/121133/bow-winged_grasshopper_-_frontal_heeswijk-dinther_netherlands.html Chorthippus biguttulus,Europe,Heeswijk-Dinther,Netherlands,World

Appearance

Females grow to approximately 2 cm and are larger than males that grow to approximately 1.5 cm. Males often have a red tip to the abdomen while females do not. They can be extremely variable in colour from green to black-brown to rose.

''C. brunneus'' and ''C. bigguttulus'' are morphologically indistinguishable but will not mate due to difference in their calls. If a proper call is produced while the two species are placed in proximity, mating will occur with fertile offspring resulting. This is thought to be the early stages of species divergence in progress.
Bow-winged grasshopper - Chorthippus biguttulus Terhills Nationaal Park, Connecterra. June 2014. Belgium,Bow-winged grasshopper,Chorthippus biguttulus,Geotagged,Spring

Distribution

The range of the bow-winged grasshopper extends from the Finland and Scandinavia in the north to the Alps and Pyrenees in the south, and goes well into Asia including Japan.

References:

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassInsecta
OrderOrthoptera
FamilyAcrididae
GenusChorthippus
SpeciesC. biguttulus
Photographed in
Belgium
Netherlands