Meadow Grasshopper
Chorthippus parallelus
Tap image to enlarge · Wikimedia Commons
Overview
The Meadow Grasshopper is Britain's most common grasshopper and the one most likely to be encountered on the Sefton Coast dune grassland. It's distinctive in that females are flightless — the hindwings are vestigial. Both sexes are variable in colour (green, purple-brown, red-brown or intermediate). The male's song is a series of short churrs, each about a second long, repeated at intervals. An almost constant background sound of any warm dune grassland day.
At a Glance
| Order | Orthoptera |
| Family | Acrididae |
| Habitat | Dune grassland · Rough grassland · Coastal meadow |
| Diet | Grasses |
| UK population | Very common throughout Britain — probably the most abundant grasshopper |
| Sefton Coast | Extremely abundant in dune grassland throughout the Sefton Coast |
| Conservation | UK Green List |
Where to See It
Dune grassland throughout the Sefton Coast. The most abundant grasshopper overall.
Identification
Green or brown, variable. Female flightless (hindwings vestigial). Male's song: short bursts of churring, each 1–2 seconds. Curved (not straight) lower edge of pronotum sides. One of the most variable grasshoppers in colour.
Viewing & Photography Tips
The default grasshopper of any dune grassland. The short bursts of song are distinctive once learned — shorter than Common Green's building churr.
Conservation Status
UK Green List
This species has a favourable conservation status in the UK and remains an important part of Sefton Coast biodiversity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can the female Meadow Grasshopper not fly?
Female Meadow Grasshoppers have vestigial hindwings — they are functionally flightless. This is an evolved condition, not damage. Flightlessness in females is thought to be advantageous because flight capability requires large wing muscles (energy-costly) that could be redirected to egg production. Males retain wings and use them for display buzzing.
Related Species
Plan your visit to the Sefton Coast
Marshside RSPB, Formby pinewoods, Ainsdale NNR — practical guides to getting there, what to bring, and the best spots for each season.