Modicogryllus frontalis (Fieber, 1844)


Modicogryllus frontalis: Male (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Male (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Male (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Male (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female with fully developed hind wings (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Male Larva (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Male Larva (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Female Larva (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Habitat in an extensively managed vineyard (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Habitat in an extensively managed vineyard (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Habitat in an extensively managed vineyard (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Habitat in an extensively managed vineyard (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Habitat in an extensively managed vineyard (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Habitat in an extensively managed vineyard (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N] Modicogryllus frontalis: Habitat in an extensively managed vineyard (SW-Germany, Dörzbach, May 2018) [N]

Habitat:
Modicogryllus frontalis is found in warm habitats with open soil and stones (gap system between stones!), e.g. in vineyards, quarries, railway lines, or gravel pits, but also gappy fallow land or nutrient-poor, stony grasslands.

Life cycle:
Modicogryllus frontalis ususally hibernates as larva, but sometimes also as adult. As adult it is most common between mid-April and July, less common up to September. In summer already hatched larvae occur besides the adults. The animals are most active during the night, only partly also during daytime. They rest in gaps in the soil, under stones or in the gap system in gravel or bolders.

Endangerment factors:
Modicogryllus frontalis is heavily endangered especially at the periphery of its range due to intensification e.g. in vineyards and also because of bush encroachment and other closing of open soil by vegetation after abandonment.

Remarks:
Modicogryllus frontalis mainly occurs from E- and SE-Europe (e.g. from E-Austria) across parts of Asia to Mongolia. Further to the west only a few outposts have become known in S-Germany and E-France, of which most are already extinct.



Modicogryllus cyprius