# Large Conehead

*Ruspolia nitidula*

Their stridulation is so loud and high-pitched that it resembles a constant electrical hum, often mistaken for a power line.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Orthoptera › Tettigoniidae › Ruspolia
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** increasing
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Tall grasslands, damp meadows, reed beds, and warm, sunny field margins.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous, feeding primarily on grass seeds, foliage, and occasionally small insects like aphids.
- **Range:** Southern Europe, Central Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
- **Size:** 20 to 35 mm in length, with females possessing an additional 15-25 mm sword-like ovipositor
- **Lifespan:** Approximately 1 year (eggs overwinter, adults live for a single season)
- **Active:** nocturnal
- **Threats:** Intensive agricultural mowing, habitat fragmentation, and heavy pesticide use.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans. You can safely observe them up close in tall grass. If handled roughly, they may pinch with their mandibles; if bitten, simply wash the area with soap and water.

## About

Ruspolia nitidula is a species belonging to the family Tettigoniidae subfamily Conocephalinae. It is found throughout Europe...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/38e740d6-354d-4cdd-b97e-e69acd7aea79
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/362292
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruspolia nitidula
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/52817788/medium.jpg (Gilles San Martin, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.