''Ruspolia nitidula'' is a species belonging to the subfamily Conocephalinae of the family

Tettigoniidae Insects in the family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids (especially in North America), or bush crickets. They have previously been known as "long-horned grasshoppers". More than 8,000 species are known. Part of the suborder Ensifera, t ...

. It is found throughout

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

, Africa, and the

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

part of Asia. A vernacular name that has been used is "cone-headed grasshopper", although it is not a

grasshopper Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is possibly the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago. Grasshopp ...

, but rather a bush cricket.

Description

The species is green, large, and slender with a cone-shaped head. The apex of the head has a cream-colored band that goes through it and the eyes. Its size ranges from . The wings of both sexes extend further than the abdomen. They are able to produce a high-pitched buzzing sound.

Habitat

It is native to central and southern Europe where it can be found on riverbanks and other wet areas that have long grass. It is scarcely found in southern Britain and came to the area via an accidental import. The species can be found from July to October. It is also native to Africa and the

part of Asia.

Edibility

The cricket is commonly eaten in

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

and the sale of them brings in a large amount of income. The price per unit weight is periodically higher than that of beef in Uganda markets. During the 1990s, coffee prices dropped, resulting in the loss of many citizens' primary income. The price of these crickets helped regain income during that decade, but the crickets had a short shelf life and would bite when removed from storage. It is also commonly eaten by many East African tribes. A 2016 study by '' Food Science & Nutrition'' concluded that the cricket is considered nutritious and that sautéing them results in a better aroma and flavor. In Uganda, they are cooked by either sautéing, deep frying, or boiling and then they are dried. The cricket is either eaten at home or commercially in towns such as

Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...

and Masaka.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1548359

nitidula ''Nitidula'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family (biology), family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed ...

Orthoptera of Africa Orthoptera of Asia Orthoptera of Europe Edible insects Insects described in 1786 Taxa named by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli