The Mottled Grasshopper is a variable species with twelve described colour morphs. Males have obviously clubbed antennae (see photos of copulating pair at the bottom of this page) while the females have a less pronounced thickened tip to the antennae, which easily distinguishes them from the other three common and widespread British Acrididae. The only other British species with a clubbed antennae is the much rarer and exclusively, southerly-distributed Rufous Grasshopper (Gomphocerippus rufus) but it has a pale tip to the antennae which is never seen on Mottled Grasshopper.
Ray Wilson owns the copyright of all images on this site.
They may not be used or copied in any form without prior written permission.
raywilsonphotography@googlemail.com