Fauna
Insect

Alpine Saddle-backed Bush-cricket

Ephippiger terrestris

These heavy-bodied, flightless bush-crickets are unmistakable inhabitants of subalpine scrub and sun-drenched mountain slopes in the southwestern Alps. Both sexes possess a distinctive saddle-shaped pronotum that covers rudimentary, scale-like wings modified solely for loud acoustic communication. Their raspy, rhythmic courtship songs echo through rocky pastures from midsummer until the first heavy autumn frosts.

MontaneHerbivorousSinging
Alpine Saddle-backed Bush-cricket reference1 / 7
(c) Gilles San Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Gilles San Martin · cc-by-sa
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAlpine meadow herbs, Flowering buds and petals, Small soft-bodied insects
Predators
  • Alpine birds (such as wheatears and rock thrushes)
  • Wall lizards
  • Small rodents
ThreatsHabitat alteration from overgrazing or land abandonment and localized impacts of climate change
HabitatsSubalpine grasslands, montane meadows, shrubby hillsides, and scree margins
Life spanSeveral months as adults (annual life cycle)
Classification
  1. FamilyTettigoniidae
  2. SpeciesEphippiger terrestris
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Listen carefully: Track the loud, mechanical chirps on warm afternoons to pinpoint individuals in low shrubs.
  • Gentle approach: Move slowly to prevent them from dropping into thick vegetation or retreating into rock crevices.
Related species
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