Its main habitat is the numerous salt marshes that surround our coastline together with
the grasslands on the adjacent sea walls and banks. In many of our estuaries such as
the Colne, Blackwater, Crouch and Thames, the salt marshes, with their swards of
Puccinellia grasses, carry C. albomarginatus well inland as can be seen from the
distribution map. Away from coastal influences, the insect can be found along river
courses, especially those liable to winter flooding, and in the extreme north west of the
County adjoining the Cambridgeshire border, there are three records for this insect
where old Fenland influences still prevail. This species has shown a marked tendency to
increase its range in recent years and should be looked for in grassland throughout the
County.
Myrmeleotettix maculatus: Mottled grasshopper
This is a grasshopper easily identified by its small size, the clubbed antennae of the male,
and thickened antennae of the female. It has many colour forms but is generally dark
with, as the name suggests, a mottled appearance. It blends in remarkably well with its
surroundings wherever it occurs.
M. maculatus is uncommon in Essex, despite it being widespread in Britain. This is due
entirely to lack of habitat, the requirement for this insect being very short, dry, sandy turf
in nutrient poor soils interspersed with bare areas. Where these conditions prevail, the
insect may sometimes be found in small numbers.
In this survey, only eight 1km square records have been found, six in the north east of
Essex. Three of these are at Colne Point close to Brightlingsea on coastal sand and
shingle with very little vegetation. Two others were made at Middlewick Ranges, owned
by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and situated on the outskirts of Colchester, whilst the
remaining site is on bare, gravelly soil in the Roman River Valley Conservation Zone just
to the south of Colchester.
The only other sites are at Shoebury Ranges, a fine lichen heathland area recently
relinquished by the MoD and situated to the east of Southend-on-Sea, and the only record
in the west of Essex, at Sunshine Plain in Epping Forest.
There are other possible areas which appear to provide suitable habitat for it such as at
Tiptree Heath, and it is possible that this insect may still be discovered if the heath were
thoroughly searched. Many sand and gravel pits exist in the County, some of them
recently abandoned, whilst others have been developed for various recreational facilities,
but invariably, small corners of such developments are often left where plants and insects
requiring such conditions might be able to get a foothold. Although it appears that this
insect is slow to colonise new habitats, it would be worth checking the more established
of these old sand and gravel pits in the hope of finding the species elsewhere in Essex.
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