Within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, a number of Orthopteroids and allied species have been recorded between 1850 to the present day including:
- Over 23 species of Orthoptera (bush-crickets and grasshoppers)
- 9 species of Dictyoptera (cockroaches)
- 6 species of Phasmids (stick insects)
- 5 species of Dermaptera (earwigs)
Download a guide to the Orthoptera of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly: Native Species
Many of these species produce sound, called "stridulation", by rubbing their wings or legs together. An individual will use these sounds to locate another individual of the same species.
Bat detectors can be used to hear and make a record of Orthopteroids stridulating. This technique has been a revelation for recording Orthoptera. Download an introductory guide for using bat detectors for Orthoptera:
Bat Detectors - A Beginner's Guide for Orthopterists
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are also home to some species of stick insects that have become naturalised here, mainly from New Zealand. The first insect to be recorded was the prickly stick insect in Paignton, Devon in 1909 and then Tresco on the Isles of Scilly in 1943. To learn more about the species of stick insects that have been recorded in the UK, download this guide:
The British and Irish Stick Insects
ERCCIS is a Data Provider to The NBN Gateway. The NBN Gateway allows members of the public to view distribution maps and download UK wildlife data by using a variety of interactive tools. ERCCIS have uploaded some of the Orthoptera records it holds to be viewed by members of the public at a resolution of 1 km2. The name of the dataset is "Orthoptera species distribution dataset for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly". The dataset may still be in the NBN Gateway loading cycle and therefore, not yet available.
