Colonial bentgrass vs Common Groundhopper

Agrostis capillaris compared with Tetrix undulata

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Colonial bentgrass	Common Groundhopper
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Poales (Grasses)	Orthoptera (Orthoptera)
Family	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Tetrigidae
Genus	Agrostis	Tetrix
Species	Agrostis capillaris	Tetrix undulata

Conservation Status

Colonial bentgrass

LC — Least Concern

Common Groundhopper

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Colonial bentgrass	Common Groundhopper
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Colonial bentgrass

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests within the Neotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, Costa Rica, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (5 countries).

Common Groundhopper

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

Colonial bentgrass

<em>Agrostis capillaris</em>, colonial bentgrass, is a perennial grass in the family Poaceae with an extensive native range across Europe and naturalised populations in North America, South America, and Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand. This species is highly adaptable, colonising tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate grasslands, disturbed soils, roadsides, and cultivated landscapes within the Neotropical realm. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Colonial bentgrass is a fine-leaved, low-growing species often used in lawn and sports turf applications due to its tolerance for close mowing and its capacity to form dense, even swards. Its panicle inflorescences bear numerous small spikelets on delicate, hair-like branches, giving the species a feathery appearance when in flower. In its naturalised range, <em>Agrostis capillaris</em> can become invasive, competing with native grass species in acid grasslands and open heathlands. The species tolerates acidic and nutrient-poor soils, attributes that contribute to its widespread persistence in degraded landscapes. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Common Groundhopper

The common groundhopper, <em>Tetrix undulata</em>, is a small insect belonging to the order Orthoptera, family Tetrigidae. This species has an exceptionally broad ecological tolerance and is typically found across virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitat types within its range. Its distribution spans Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden, reflecting a wide presence across northern and western Europe. Unlike most grasshoppers, groundhoppers typically lack fully developed hind wings in some individuals and are often found on bare ground, mossy substrates, and near water margins. <em>Tetrix undulata</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating stable populations across its European range. No dietary information has been provided for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden