Common Field Grasshopper

C. brunneus are predominantly brown. However, they show a large variation in colour and can also be black, green, purple, or white. Wing patterns vary between individuals and can be mottled, striped, striped-mottled, or plain. Both green and purple grasshoppers tend to have plain forewing patterns while black grasshoppers primarily have mottled forewing patterns. Brown grasshoppers do not consistently have the same forewing pattern instead they have variable forewing patterns. At least two loci are responsible for pronotum color in C. brunneus. Green alleles are dominant to all other colors while brown alleles are recessive to all other colors. Wing pattern is determined by a separate locus than colour. The plain forewing pattern is dominant and the striped and mottled forewing patterns are codominant.

C. brunneus are found in Europe, north Africa, and temperate Asia. They prefer dry habitats. They are present in higher numbers in heathland areas compared to agricultural areas. This can be explained by the difference in sward height in the two areas. C. brunneus prefer habitats with sward heights of 100 to 200 mm and fine leaved grass species. In fact a positive correlation between C. brunneus and both Agrostis species and Festuca species exists. Fine leaved grass species and taller sward heights occur more commonly in heathlands where less human alteration of the land occurs compared to agricultural sites. Sward height also influences abundance. A greater number of C. brunneus are found in taller swards although some scientific literature suggests C. brunneus thrives in wastelands. Vertebrate grazing also influences C. brunneus density by directly influencing sward height. Ungrazed areas have higher densities of C. brunneus than grazed areas. Vertebrate grazing is thought to alter plant hormones two of which are known to effect fecundity, abscisic acid, and gibberellins. Additionally grazing results in the production of proteinase inhibitors in plants and the alteration of nitrogen levels. In areas that experience less vertebrate grazing C. brunneus have increased rates of development, higher adult weights, and increased fecundity.