Decticus verrucivorus (Linnaeus, 1758)


Decticus verrucivorus: Male (eastern Swabian Alb) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Female (eastern Swabian Alb) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Female (N-Greece, Askio mountains near Siatista, late June 2013, long-winged form) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Female [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Female (Italy, Abruzzi, Monti della Laga, Monte Mezzo di Campotosto, 1600m, late September 2016) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Male (NW-Bulgaria, Dragoman, early June 2018) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Male (NW-Bulgaria, Dragoman, early June 2018) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Female (SE-France, Alpes-Maritimes, Vésubie, September 2018) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Ovipositing female (Austria, East Tyrol, Seespitzhütte, 2100m, late August 2018) [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Larve [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Larva [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Larva [N] Decticus verrucivorus: Habitat on the Swabian Alb [N]

Nutrition:
Carnal and herbal food. The species also captures grasshoppers up to cannibalism.

Habitat:
Decticus verrucivorus is a typical species of extensive, sunny pastures with a mosaic of higher growing and low growing, gappy places. In the Alps, it occurs up to over 2500m above sea level. Decticus verrucivorus is more common in moutainous environments. It also inhabits especially nutrient-poor, dry grasslands and more rarely structurally rich wet meadows and heathlands.

Life cycle:
The larvae are found from mid-April, the adults from late June to October. Eggs are laid in the ground and overwinter mostly multiple (up to 7 times, according to literature).

Endangerment: endangered

Endangerment factors:
In the lowlands and lower mountains Decticus verrucivorus is often highly endangered due to the decline in suitable, large and extensively managed habitats. In the higher elevations (e.g. Alps), it is still one of the most common species in spite of even here occurring agricultural intensification and is currently at relatively little risk.

Remarks:
The spread ranges from eastern and Northern Spain and southern England across Europe and temperate Asia to the Pacific.



Decticus albifrons | Decticus aprutianus