The wart-biter (Decticus verrucivorus)[1] is a bush-cricket in the family Tettigoniidae. Its common and scientific names derive from the eighteenth-century Swedish practice of allowing the crickets to nibble at warts to remove them.[2]
Adult wart-biters are 31–37 millimetres (1.2–1.5 in), with females being significantly larger than males. They are typically dark green in colour, usually with dark brown blotches on the pronotum and wings (a dark brown morphotype also occurs). The female has a long and slightly upcurved ovipositor.[3]
The wart-biter has a song consisting of a rapidly repeated series of short bursts of clicks, sometimes lasting for several minutes.
Wart-biters normally move about by walking; they rarely fly, except when frightened. Most can only fly 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 ft) at a time.
Wart-biters need a mosaic of vegetation, including bare ground/short turf, grass tussocks, and a sward rich in flowering forbs. They prefer areas that are not heavily grazed. The species is thermophilous, and tends to occur on sites with a southerly aspect.[5]
Dietedit
The species is omnivorous. Plants eaten include knapweed, nettles, bedstraws; the species also eats insects, including other grasshoppers. Despite its name, the eponymous warts are not a major part of its diet.
Life cycleedit
The wart-biter lays its eggs in the soil; these eggs normally hatch after two winters. It then passes through seven instar stages between April and June. The adult stage is reached in the beginning of July. Wart-biter populations peak in late July and early August.[3] Newly hatched Decticus are encased in a sheath to facilitate their trip to the soil surface, the sheath holding the legs and antennae safely against the body while burrowing upwards. A neck which can in turn be inflated and deflated, enlarges the top of its tunnel, easing its passage upwards.[6]
Status and distributionedit
This species occurs throughout continental Europe, except the extreme south, ranging from southern Scandinavia to Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece. It is also found in temperate Asia, as far east as China. Geographic features such as mountains have fragmented the species, leading to a wide range of forms and numerous subspecies.[7]
^M. J. Samways & K. Harz (1982). "Biogeography of intraspecific morphological variation in the bush crickets Decticus verrucivorus (L.) and D. albifrons (F.) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)". Journal of Biogeography. 9 (3). Blackwell Publishing: 243–254. doi:10.2307/2844667. JSTOR 2844667.
^Andrew A. Cunningham; J. Mick Frank; Pat Croft; Dave Clarke & Paul Pearce-Kelly (1997). "Mortality of captive British wartbiter crickets: implications for reintroduction programs" (PDF). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 33 (3): 673–676. doi:10.7589/0090-3558-33.3.673. PMID 9249724.
^. Archived from the original on 2006-06-21. Retrieved 2006-07-22.
External linksedit
April 15, 2024
wart, biter, wart, biter, decticus, verrucivorus, bush, cricket, family, tettigoniidae, common, scientific, names, derive, from, eighteenth, century, swedish, practice, allowing, crickets, nibble, warts, remove, them, adult, female, green, morphmalescientific,. The wart biter Decticus verrucivorus 1 is a bush cricket in the family Tettigoniidae Its common and scientific names derive from the eighteenth century Swedish practice of allowing the crickets to nibble at warts to remove them 2 Wart biterAdult female of the green morphmaleScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaClass InsectaOrder OrthopteraSuborder EnsiferaFamily TettigoniidaeSubfamily TettigoniinaeTribe DecticiniGenus DecticusSpecies D verrucivorusBinomial nameDecticus verrucivorus Linnaeus 1758 source source source source source source source source source source Close Up of a Decticus verrucivorusSound of Decticus verrucivorus source source Field recording in the Netherlands 30s Problems playing this file See media help Contents 1 Description 2 Subspecies 3 Habitat 4 Diet 5 Life cycle 6 Status and distribution 7 Conservation 8 References 9 External linksDescription editAdult wart biters are 31 37 millimetres 1 2 1 5 in with females being significantly larger than males They are typically dark green in colour usually with dark brown blotches on the pronotum and wings a dark brown morphotype also occurs The female has a long and slightly upcurved ovipositor 3 The wart biter has a song consisting of a rapidly repeated series of short bursts of clicks sometimes lasting for several minutes Wart biters normally move about by walking they rarely fly except when frightened Most can only fly 3 to 4 metres 10 to 13 ft at a time Subspecies editThe Orthoptera Species File 4 lists D verrucivorus assiduus Ingrisch Willemse amp Heller 1992 D verrucivorus brevipennis Gotz 1970 D verrucivorus crassus Gotz 1970 D verrucivorus gracilis Uvarov 1930 D verrucivorus latipennis Liu Chen amp Liu 2020 D verrucivorus longipennis Nedelkov 1907 D verrucivorus mithati Ramme 1939 D verrucivorus monspeliensis Rambur 1838 D verrucivorus sayram Liu Chen amp Liu 2020 D verrucivorus stoljarovi Gotz 1970 D verrucivorus verrucivorus Linnaeus 1758 nominate subspecies to which the wart biter belongs Habitat editThe species is found in calcareous grassland and heathland habitats 3 Wart biters need a mosaic of vegetation including bare ground short turf grass tussocks and a sward rich in flowering forbs They prefer areas that are not heavily grazed The species is thermophilous and tends to occur on sites with a southerly aspect 5 Diet editThe species is omnivorous Plants eaten include knapweed nettles bedstraws the species also eats insects including other grasshoppers Despite its name the eponymous warts are not a major part of its diet Life cycle editThe wart biter lays its eggs in the soil these eggs normally hatch after two winters It then passes through seven instar stages between April and June The adult stage is reached in the beginning of July Wart biter populations peak in late July and early August 3 Newly hatched Decticus are encased in a sheath to facilitate their trip to the soil surface the sheath holding the legs and antennae safely against the body while burrowing upwards A neck which can in turn be inflated and deflated enlarges the top of its tunnel easing its passage upwards 6 Status and distribution editThis species occurs throughout continental Europe except the extreme south ranging from southern Scandinavia to Portugal Spain Italy and Greece It is also found in temperate Asia as far east as China Geographic features such as mountains have fragmented the species leading to a wide range of forms and numerous subspecies 7 In Britain the wart biter is confined to five sites two in East Sussex and one each in Wiltshire Essex Dorset and Kent 3 Conservation editThe population of wart biters has declined in many areas of northern Europe In Britain it is threatened with extirpation 8 The species is the subject of a United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan 9 References edit Wart biter bush cricket Buglife www buglife org uk Rare wart biter cricket s powers put to the test BBC News Retrieved 9 August 2020 a b c d Judith A Marshall amp E C M Hayes 1988 Grasshopper and allied insects of Great Britain and Ireland Harley Books ISBN 0 946589 36 4 Orthoptera Species File species Decticus verrucivorus Linnaeus 1758 Version 5 0 5 0 retrieved 8 February 2021 Dag Oystein Hjermann amp Rolf Anker Ims 1996 Landscape ecology of the wart biter Decticus verrucivorus in a patchy landscape Journal of Animal Ecology 65 6 British Ecological Society 768 780 doi 10 2307 5675 JSTOR 5675 Jean Henri Fabre Book of Insects M J Samways amp K Harz 1982 Biogeography of intraspecific morphological variation in the bush crickets Decticus verrucivorus L and D albifrons F Orthoptera Tettigoniidae Journal of Biogeography 9 3 Blackwell Publishing 243 254 doi 10 2307 2844667 JSTOR 2844667 Andrew A Cunningham J Mick Frank Pat Croft Dave Clarke amp Paul Pearce Kelly 1997 Mortality of captive British wartbiter crickets implications for reintroduction programs PDF Journal of Wildlife Diseases 33 3 673 676 doi 10 7589 0090 3558 33 3 673 PMID 9249724 United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan for the Wart biter Archived from the original on 2006 06 21 Retrieved 2006 07 22 External links editWart biter page at ARKive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wart biter amp oldid 1199560138, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
