Blue-winged Grasshopper
VU

Blue-winged Grasshopper

Oedipoda caerulescens

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipoda_caerulescens

Overview

The blue-winged grasshopper, Oedipoda caerulescens, is a grasshopper in the genus Oedipoda.

The Blue-winged Grasshopper faces significant population declines across its European range due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized dry grassland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and abandonment of traditional grazing practices have fragmented and reduced the quality of the calcareous grasslands and rocky slopes this species requires for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

Dry calcareous grasslands, rocky slopes, quarries, and sparsely vegetated areas with exposed soil and stones, typically in warm, sunny locations at various elevations. The species requires areas with short vegetation and bare ground patches for thermoregulation and breeding.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Acrididae

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Mottled Grasshopper

Myrmeleotettix maculatus

Unknown
water-meadow grasshopperVU

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Chorthippus montanus

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lesser field grasshopperVU

lesser field grasshopper

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Large Marsh GrasshopperVU

Large Marsh Grasshopper

Stethophyma grossum

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Threatened in Afghanistan

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

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small mallowVU

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Tiger SawgillCR

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Lentinus tigrinus

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EN

Malus komarovii

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Blue-winged Grasshopper classified as Vulnerable?
Blue-winged Grasshopper is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The Blue-winged Grasshopper faces significant population declines across its European range due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized dry grassland environments. Agricultural intensification, urban development, and abandonment of traditional grazing practices have fragmented and reduced the quality of the calcareous grasslands and rocky slopes this species requires for survival.
Where does Blue-winged Grasshopper live?
Blue-winged Grasshopper occurs in Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, and Austria (plus 53 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Blue-winged Grasshopper?
The main threats to Blue-winged Grasshopper are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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