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The Songs of the Grasshoppers and Crickets of Western Europe
‘... an important milestone in Orthoptera literature ... as valuable to the interested amateur as to the professional scientist.’ J. Paul, Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine.
Most of the 170 species of grasshoppers and crickets included in this book can be identified instantly by their songs – and often more reliably than from their appearance. Orthopterans have recently become important subjects in evolutionary biological studies and are also increasingly used in the field of conservation as indicators of undisturbed habitat.
The book comprises the following chapters: Introduction; Acoustic Methods; Sound Production and Reception of European Orthoptera; The Nature and Function of the Songs; The Value of the Songs in Taxonomy and Identification; Key to the singing Orthoptera of Western Europe, based primarily on their Songs; and other Animal Sounds that could be confused with Orthoptera Songs – illustrated with over 1600 oscillograms; three Appendixes (Check-list of the species included; Summary of Nomenclatural Changes; Data for the Song Recordings); Glossary; References; Index to Vernacular Names; and General Index.
David Ragge, formerly Head of the Orthoptera Section and Deputy Keeper of Entomology at The Natural History Museum, is author of the classic work, Grasshoppers, Crickets & Cockroaches of the British Isles. Jim Reynolds has been recording and analysing the songs of European Orthoptera with Dr Ragge for some 25 years.
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