Lesser Marsh Grasshopper Chorthippus albomarginatus

The Lesser Marsh Grasshopper has almost parallel light raised keels on its pronutum similar to the Meadow Grasshopper but it also has a raised central keel, like three raised lines. It doesn't have the dark hind knees of the Meadow Grasshopper. Despite its name, it is native to damp and dry grassland over much of Europe and to mainly the southern part of the UK (but expanding its range).

Its usual colour is pale brown or pale green with a pale brown back. However, there is a darker green form with a white line on the forewing (not to be confused with the Stripe-winged Grasshopper) and other colour forms exist.

Both male and female adults are fully winged and can fly. Length is some 15 (males)-20 (females) mm. (It is called "Lesser" since the rarer olive green Large Marsh Grasshopper (Stethophyma grossum) of Europe but only Hants (New Forest) and Dorset in the UK, is the UK's largest at some 22mm (male) to 36mm (female)).

The "song", made by the male rubbing his back leg on his wing, is a soft purring similar to but slower than that of the Field Grasshopper in duration.