Gomphocerippus rufus (Linnaeus, 1758)


Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, August 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, August 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, August 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, August 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, August 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, August 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (eastern Swabian Alb) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (eastern Swabian Alb, August 2012) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (eastern Swabian Alb, August 2012) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (eastern Swabian Alb, August 2012) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Male (eastern Swabian Alb, August 2012) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Female (eastern Swabian Alb, Söhnstetten, July 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Female (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, S-Germany, August 2013) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Female (eastern Swabian Alb, August 2012) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Female [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Female [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Female [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Larve [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Habitat: higher growing grassland (Ticino) [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Habitat: older clearing [N] Gomphocerippus rufus: Habitat on an extensively managed meadow (Illerbeuren near Memmingen, S-Germany, September 2013). Here also occur Chorthippus dorsatus, Ch. parallelus, Ch. biguttulus and Metrioptera roeseli. [N]

Nutrition:
The species feeds mainly on grasses (Poaceae), but occasionally also on herbs.

Habitat:
Gomphocerippus rufus inhabits mostly higher growing and slightly fresh areas such as edges of grasslands, scrub, woodland edges, clearcuts or fallow land. Gomphocerippus rufus has only modest claims in respect of the habitat and thus occurs, for example, also in rarely mowed gardens. In the Southern Alps, you can meet Gomphocerippus rufus up to about 2400m above sea level.

Life cycle:
The adults appear quite late and can be found from July to November. The eggs overwinter in the soil and in the root collar area of grass clumps.

Endangerment factors:
Not endangered.

Remarks:
Gomphocerippus rufus occurs from southern England and eastern France across central, eastern and Southeastern Europe far into Asia (Siberia).