Orthoptera and allied insects of Essex 2002
House Cricket Acheta domesticus (L.)
There was one record of this species in 2002 from Home Farm (TQR086; N. Harvey) where several
were heard calling. There have been very few recent sightings of this species in the county.
Slender Ground-hopper Tetrix subulata (L.)
There were two new 10km records for this species in 2002: Writtle College (TL60) and at Bull
Meadow (TM02; J.P. Bowdrey). T. subulata has now been recorded in 39 10km squares since 1980
and should be considered a widespread species, which until recent years has been substantially
under-recorded.
Common Ground-hopper Tetrix undulata (Sowerby)
Similarly to T. subulata, this species should also be considered a widespread species in the county.
There were four new 10km records in 2002: Abbotts Hall Farm (TL91; N. Harvey), Hylands Park
(TL60; M. Hanson), Gravel Wood, Tendring (TM 12; J.P. Bowdrey) and Ingrebourne Valley Landfill
(TQ58; P. Harvey).
Common Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus (L.)
An effort was made to visit several old sites in 2002 to check whether this scarce species is still
flourishing in the south-west of the county. Epping Forest is the stronghold of this species in Essex.
O. viridulus was recorded at the following grassland sites in 2002: Deershelter Plain (TQ4298),
Fairmead Bottom (TQ4196), Long Running (TQ4399), Pillow Mounds (TQ4198) and Sunshine
Plain (TQ4299). It is important that these sites and other open areas in the Forest are not lost through
scrub encroachment.
The following is a list of sites were this species was located outside of Epping Forest in 2002:
Aubrey Buxton Nature Reserve (TL5226), Crabbs Green (TL4528), Danbury Common (TL7804),
Hatfield Forest (TL5319 and TL5320), Molehill Green (TL5624), Start Hill (TL5221) and waste
ground near Takeley Water Tower (TL5623). The latter three sites are likely to be directly affected
by the possible expansion of Stansted Airport.
Lesser Marsh Grasshopper Chorthippus albomarginatus (De Geer)
This species is now common throughout most of Essex after its range expansion during the 1980s
and 1990s away from its traditional strongholds on the coast. C. albomarginatus continues to colonise
new habitats and was recorded in five new 10km squares in 2002. There are, however, very few
records for the north-west and this might be due to a lack of favourable habitat in this mainly
agricultural part of the county.
Mottled Grasshopper Myrmeleotettix maculatus (Thunberg)
There have been very few recent records for this rare Essex species (Wake 2000). Due to this wor-
rying trend, survey work was undertaken by TG and MP in 2002 to confirm old records. This species
was located at the following sites: Colne Point (TM 1012 and TM 1112), Middlewick Ranges (TM0022
and TM0122) and Tiptree Heath (TL8814). However, at Sunshine Plain in Epping Forest (TQ4299),
after around one hour of searching, this species could not be re-found. The last record of M. maculatus
at this site was in 1983 and therefore it may be extinct from this location and consequently from
Epping Forest. The sward at Sunshine Plain is very tall and dense through lack of management and
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)
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