Speckled Bush Cricket
These guys were busily churning on the young Buddleja leaves along side aphids. I saw them in May this year. Those dark spots on their green body gave them the name
Speckled Bush Cricket . Unlike the normal crickets their love calls aren't audible to humans but only to a
female Speckled Bush Cricket .
I first bumped into them two years ago but then on this White Phlox plant. I thought they were grasshoppers because they were gnawing on the Phlox' leaves. All the
young nymphs seem to appear late in May.
Some time in July last year, I caught this female
almost - adult nymph munching on my strawberry plant's leaves. I watched them gnaw the leaves in one line. A very compulsive eater. They just seem to munch on the very same leaf on a daily basis - it wasn't much damage to the strawberry plant so I let them. Obviously, these guys are
herbivores.
The other has a shorter feeler and one - which got away quickly had a missing limb. Apparently, while a young nymph, they could grow all those back but once they've turned into adults - they won't be able to anymore.
As you can see, the spots become less visible as they turn into an adult and the gray stripe on their back becomes more obvious.
This female adult turned out recently, I was cutting the withered Buddleja flowers when she jumped on my shirt. I put her back on one of the Buddleja's leaf and it struck a pose.
As you can see, the dark spots and the gray stripe on his back is more dominant when they become an adult. It also has a bit of a humped back and the gray stripes has a darker edge.
She turned her back against me and groomed herself. As you can see, she looks like she has a dagger on her rear but it's actually an ovipositor for laying her eggs. Male Speckled Bush Crickets don't have that.
A bit later, she defacated and I'm certain it's poop because Speckled Bush Cricket lay their eggs in barks of trees or shrubs. Unlike this one, their eggs look silky and like lady bugs they lay them in a bunch.
I took the old pictures with my Samsung Galaxy Note 1 and the new pictures with my Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 edition smartphone cameras without extra lenses whatsoever.
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