Grasshoppers and Crickets

There are 27 species of Orthoptera in the UK (not counting invasive species arriving in the UK), these include grasshoppers, groundhoppers, bush crickets and true crickets. They tend to have large hind legs which they use to jump long distances. Their forewings tend to be leathery while their hind wings tend to be clear. Crickets tend to have long antennae while grasshoppers have short antennae. While typically associated with grasslands they can be found in a variety of habitats including heathland and woodland. The groundhoppers tend to be present where there is less grass, often near water bodies like ponds and streams given they mostly eat moss and algae. Riparian species are capable of swimming on the surface of the water and may leap onto the water when alarmed so keep an eye out for disturbances along a lake/river bank like grazing cattle or sheep.

The guide below from orthoptera.org.uk may be of some assistance while out and about if you need to identify some common UK species. They tend to be 10-25 mm in size but may be as large as 55-70 mm (Great green bush cricket Tettigonia viridissima). They come in a range of colours from browns and blacks to greens and oranges. They are most common during the middle of summer but may be present in almost any month. While grasshoppers tend to be around during the day and crickets at night this rule of thumb is not universal. A realistic imitation fly is not usually required with imitative flies like a size 10 bristol hopper in black, bibio or claret likely to do the business.  

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So if you don’t tie but prefer to buy:

• Bibio hopper – Size 10
• CDC black hopper – Size 10
• Foam hopper – Size 10
• Booby hopper – Size 10

If you prefer to tie then try:

Tight Lines

Greg