The brown grasshopper that we regularly encounter in our gardens most often belongs to the suborder Ensifera, family Tettigoniidae. Several species display a brown coloration, but the most common in mainland France are the bush-crickets and the bush-crickets, sometimes confused with locusts. Their cryptic coloration, adapted to dry soils and plant litter, largely explains their apparent omnipresence in cultivated areas and peri-urban wastelands.
Cryptic coloration and selection pressure in open environments
The brown color of these grasshoppers is not a taxonomic coincidence. It results from a selection pressure related to the substrate: individuals whose hue is closer to bare soil, mulch, or dry grasses are more likely to escape predators (birds, lizards, shrews). In garden areas, where mineral surfaces and mulched beds dominate, brown morphs have a clear advantage over green morphs, which are more exposed.
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We observe that this chromatic selection intensifies in the gardens of southern France, where the soil remains dry and light for a good part of the year. Green grasshoppers, on the other hand, tend to be confined to tall grasses and dense meadows where their camouflage works better.
To understand why the brown grasshopper is frequently observed in so many contexts, we must also consider the ecological plasticity of these species: they tolerate a wide variety of environments, from vegetable gardens to balconies and green roofs.
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Differentiated garden management and the return of orthopterans
The most determining factor in the visible increase of brown grasshoppers is the transformation of gardening practices. Differentiated management, adopted by many communities and individuals, leaves areas of tall grass, reduces mowing frequency, and eliminates phytosanitary treatments. These three parameters create a favorable habitat for orthopterans.
Less pesticide means more beneficial insects, and grasshoppers are part of that. Unlike locusts, which are almost exclusively phytophagous, brown grasshoppers are omnivorous. They consume aphids, small caterpillars, and various larvae, which places them among the garden’s beneficials.
- Tall grasses provide them with both shelter from predators and a laying site, as the female buries her eggs in the loose soil using her ovipositor.
- Areas of wasteland or flowering meadows increase the density of microfauna they feed on, which promotes their local reproduction.
- The absence of chemical treatments allows larvae to survive in spring, a critical period when they are particularly vulnerable to residues of phytosanitary products.
The result is a rapid colonization of peri-urban gardens by cryptic brown species, better adapted to mosaics of bare soil and low vegetation than large green grasshoppers.
Brown grasshopper or brown locust: distinguishing criteria in the garden
The confusion between brown grasshoppers and locusts remains common, even among experienced gardeners. Two morphological criteria allow for quick identification without equipment.
The length of the antennae is the main distinguishing criterion. In grasshoppers, the antennae clearly exceed the length of the body (sometimes twice). In locusts, they remain short, generally not exceeding the combined length of the head and thorax. A common mnemonic: grasshopper, long word, long antennae; locust, short word, short antennae.
The second criterion concerns feeding behavior. If the insect you observe is feeding on another insect, it is a grasshopper. Brown locusts, on the other hand, exclusively chew on plants. This difference also explains why brown grasshoppers are considered beneficial in a vegetable garden, while locusts can cause damage to young shoots.
Frequent confusion with crickets
Field and house crickets, also brown, complete the trio of common orthopterans in the garden. Their bodies are stockier, their heads proportionally wider, and their wings are held flat against the abdomen. Brown grasshoppers, on the other hand, keep their tegmina arranged like a roof along their body.
Life cycle and seasonality of the brown grasshopper in France
Adults are mainly visible from July to October, with a peak of activity in August and September. Females lay eggs in the soil at the end of summer, and the eggs overwinter in diapause. The larvae hatch in the following spring and go through several nymphal stages before reaching adulthood.
Each nymphal stage resembles a miniature adult without functional wings. This detail often misleads observers, who think they are seeing a different species when it is actually the same animal at an earlier stage of development. Juveniles, often lighter in color, gradually darken as they molt.
One point we emphasize: some species of brown grasshoppers are active almost year-round in Mediterranean regions, where mild winters allow adults to survive longer. This phenomenon, exacerbated by climate change, contributes to the impression of a permanent presence in the gardens of southern Europe.
Coexisting with brown grasshoppers without eliminating them
Eliminating brown grasshoppers from the garden would be counterproductive. Their omnivorous diet makes them natural regulators of pest populations. A few adjustments are sufficient if their presence becomes too significant on certain sensitive crops.
- Maintaining a grassy strip around the vegetable garden offers them a retreat area and reduces their concentration on cultivated beds.
- Avoid dry mulching directly at the base of young plants, as it provides ideal shelter for grasshoppers that may nibble on tender leaves at night.
- Encourage the presence of their natural predators (great tits, wall lizards, hedgehogs) by installing nesting boxes, piles of stones, and wildlife passages.
Brown grasshoppers in a garden are a reliable indicator of ecological health of the environment. Their presence signals a living soil, a functional food chain, and a reasonable use of chemical inputs. Rather than trying to drive them away, we recommend considering them as a barometer of the environmental quality of your green space.