What's that? Traditional Cache

What’s that?

This is the 5^th. cache in a new series for Hadleigh Country Park, in 2009

Hadleigh Country Park lies between South Benfleet, to the West, and Leigh, to the East.  The park consists of a mix of scrub, woodland and grassland hillside running down to grazing marsh and seawall, which is adjacent to a narrow strip of salt marsh.  This wide range of habitat provides many places for plants and animals to live. In summer this is one of the best places in Essex to see butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

The rangers tell me that the best place to park is in the main car-park (N 51º 33·130' E 00º 35·724'), however, this is £2 for the day. The car-park currently closes at 4:30, but check the time. Alternative parking can be found at Benfleet Station or surrounding roads (N 51º 32·668' E 00º 33·917'), however, there are charges and restrictions.

The Great Green Bush-cricket, Tettigonia viridissima, is to be found in unmanaged coarse grasslands partially overgrown by scrub and brambles or in coastal grassland with scrub cover. It has a body length;- males 40-50 mm, females 40-50 mm + 20-25 mm ovipositor. Wings extend well beyond the tip of the abdomen. The entire body and limbs are a grass green colour so makes the crickets extremely difficult to locate, even when aided by their distinctive song. This is of an unmistakeable prolonged shrill buzzing call that carries for about 100 m or more in still conditions.

Young nymphs spend most of their time in coarse grassland whilst older nymphs and adults are more arboreal and frequent clumps of scrub, brambles and shrubs. The males call through the afternoons and into night during warm weather from late July onwards. This bush-cricket is omnivorous with invertebrates making up the bulk of their diet, although grass, and other vegetation is also eaten. The female lays her eggs in late summer directly into the ground. After over-wintering as an egg, the nymphs emerge from mid May onwards and are mature by late July.