Wart-Biter Bush-Cricket
The Wart-biter bush-cricket (Decticus verrucivorus) gets its unusual name from the Swedish practice of the 1700’s of allowing the cricket to bite warts from the skin! The scientific name verrucivorus derives from the Latin, 'verruca' meaning 'wart' and 'vorous' 'to devour'. It is able to do this as it has very strong mouthparts. The Wart-biter is a large bush-cricket, adult’s measure between 31 and 37mm and the ovipositor (egg-laying organ) of the females can measure up to 21mm. It has large, dark eyes and is typically dark green, often with dark brown or black blotches on the body and wings. Its large and powerful hind legs give this species a frog-like appearance. Like all bush-crickets, the Wart-biter bush-cricket ‘sings’ or stridulates by rubbing its wings together (grasshoppers sing by rubbing their long legs against their wings). Its fairly loud and distinctive song consists of a series of rapidly repeated clicks in short bursts and often lasts for several minutes. Even though they have wings, Wart-biter’s normally move about by walking. They rarely fly as they are too heavy and their wings are not large enough; most can only fly very short distances, at best 3-4 meters. For those readers hoping for a novel cure for their pesky warts, you may be disappointed to learn that this treatment is not particularly effective! Unsurprisingly, warts are not a big part of this cricket’s diet. The Wart-biter is omnivorous, feeding on a range of herbs and insects, including other grasshoppers. Wart-biter bush-crickets are elusive creatures and males only sing during hot, sunny and still weather.
Size: 2996px × 2996px
Location: Austria
Photo credit: © Intellifix / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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