The steppe dyke is the largest grasshopper ever to live in Russia. The insect belongs to the subfamily of holes. At the moment, it is an endangered species of insects and is listed in the Red Book.
Description
The body length of a female without an ovipositor is 30–40 mm, and with it 70–90 mm. The wings of a large insect are either absent altogether or presented in the form of very short rudiments and do not bring any visible benefit.
The steppe hawk has an elongated head with a forehead sharply sloping downward. On the front and middle thighs are numerous strong spikes. The hind legs are elongated, but, unlike other grasshoppers, they practically do not help the hawks when jumping. Nevertheless, this insect can jump at fairly impressive distances. The steppe dung, whose photo can be seen in the article, is painted in green or greenish-yellow color with a longitudinal border located on the sides. This color allows the small predator to hide in the grass or other thickets and to catch bugs and other small animals. In addition, this is an excellent disguise that protects the grasshopper from its enemies.
Habitat
The steppe dyke is quite common in Georgia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. It can also be found in Moldova, Ukraine and southern Europe. In Russia, the insect populates areas in the unplowed steppes and lives in the Kursk, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Samara and other areas. The insect can be found in the thickets of thorns, as well as in shrubs of rocky steppes. The closest relatives of these grasshoppers live in South Africa and Australia. Until recently, the steppe dyke lived throughout the steppe zone, from the Kharkov and Chelyabinsk regions in the north to the Crimea and the Caucasus in the south.
To date, the area of residence of these grasshoppers has declined, and now they can be met only in the Ciscaucasia.
Food
In nutrition, preference is given to cereal-herbaceous plants. By nature, this grasshopper is a predator. Mostly hunted at night. Steppe hounds feed on grasshopper mares, as well as insects such as mantises, bedbugs and other small bugs.
Breeding
Propagated by the parthenogenetic method. Presumably, the steppe dwarf has 68 chromosomes, which is twice as much as the saddle-bearing grasshopper. The female starts laying eggs 3-4 weeks after imaginal molting. Throughout life, a grasshopper lays eggs in small quantities in the soil. Thus, almost all the time he is at the stage of reproduction. It is known that even after the death of a female, more than a dozen eggs can be found in her body.
Larvae hatch about 12 millimeters in size. Throughout development, young grasshoppers go through eight ages and reach full maturity after 25 days.
Limiting factors and protection
The total number of these unusual grasshoppers continues to decline steadily. This is because the natural habitat of these insects is constantly being destroyed. To date, this factor is not fatal, since there are still shelters in the form of ravines and other places with a low relief. Such a habitat is suitable for feeding the steppe hut. These places are the most favorable and meet all the needs, as well as the biological characteristics of such grasshoppers.
The greatest danger to the existence of the steppe huts at the moment is the large-scale use of insecticides. Since in most fields the crops are constantly sprayed with chemicals, giant grasshoppers are severely affected. Nevertheless, the steppe hut, the photo of which is presented below, is protected in the Zhigulevsky, Khopersky and Bashkir reserves.
Experts recommend that plowed plots remain in the fields within the habitat of these insects. They also advise to refrain from mowing in these places and stop cutting down bushes and trees.
Steppe Horn listed in the Red Book
This species was listed in the Red Book and is currently protected by law as an endangered species, in the same way as a close relative of the steppe hawk - a saddle-headed grasshopper. A distinctive feature of this insect is that its back really resembles a saddle.
Among other things, large grasshoppers are listed in the European Red List, as well as in the Red Book of Ukraine.
