Rare Large Marsh Grasshopper spotted in Abbeyleix Bog!

We recently had fantastic news here at Abbeyleix bog when we found out from Dr. Eugenie Regan of Biodiversity Ireland that we have a rare species: Large Marsh Grasshopper. This happens to be very rare in Ireland and in Great Britain and is confined to blanket and raised bogs. It is also very distinctive from other grasshoppers as it has red and yellow legs which make it easy to identify. We would like to thank Dr. Regan for undertaking the study in Abbeyleix and we hope to see more rare species in the near future! Click here to hear a recording of the stridulation of the large marsh grasshopper. (Most grasshoppers stridulate to make their characteristic sounds. In grasshoppers, a row of pegs along the inside of the hind leg acts as a file, or rasp.)