Grey Bush Crickets emerge

Grey Bush Cricket 2nd instar nymph

During the last week a few Grey Bush Cricket (Platycleis albopunctata) nymphs have hatched from a sample of Canary Thread-moss (Bryum canariense) that I collected from Horton and have kept in a living state on the kitchen window sill. The female cricket has a strong ovipositer, used to insert the eggs into soil and clearly a number of eggs were laid below this plant.

The Grey Bush-cricket is an uncommon species that is highly localised, being confined to a few favourable coastal sites (as shown), although can be very abundant where is occurs, such as at Nicholaston Burrows. At cliff sites, like Horton, Grey Bush Crickets tend to be more difficult to find.